Sonic 51
by StarSquadEnterprises
Summary: What would have happened if things didn't go as planned after the Archie Comic Series Sonic the Hedgehog issue #50? The day is saved and the war victorious but at what cost? With Project: Endgame survived and Doctor Robotnik defeated, how had things changed in the time Sonic has been in comatose? Wake up, along with Sonic, to discover the next journey The Freedom Fighters make.
1. Wake up Sonic the Hedgehog

"Ugh… where am I

"Ugh… where am I?" thought a lone voice into the darkness. With his memory coming back to him after what had seemed to be an endless rest, it showed images of himself and a rather portly villain coming to massive blows. The last piece of his memory showed everything going up in a huge amount of pink energy.

His eyes ease open to see the dim orange lighting of the room. The ceiling had one-hundred forty-four ceiling tiles in them with eight recessed lights set to a sultry atmosphere. He rubbed his eyes to get a better glimpse of things when he saw his peach complexioned hands and started to turn them over and about. He grabbed the stiff blankets that were across him and revealed his body. He wore the provided robe that the hospital gives out to patients and a pair of bright white socks.

His legs still true blue and lanky he started to smile.

He stretched his limbs out while giving a huge yawn in the process. He looked over at the clock and noticed the time; 11:59.

"I still can't manage to get up early." he smirked. He eased out of bed and stumbled to the personal bathroom just feet from the bed. During that time, a well-respected doctor came in approached and opened the hospital door. He had slick yellow fur, and a nicely colored orange bill and webbed feet, with his professional doctor coat over his shoulders. He had clipboard in one hand while the other was stuck on the, now activated, light. His face said it all - a look of joy and confusion will always give you a weird look.

He heard the toilet flush and the sound of running water emanate from the bathroom. The doctor clutched his clipboard at his chest as he stood impatiently for the door to open.

He had his wish.

Emerging from the bathroom door, a hero had returned.

"Sonic the Hedgehog!" yelled the doctor. The doctor ran through Sonic's mind putting forgotten images back in its place. Sonic reeled back from the memory gain and voiced words.

"Dr. Quack!?" Sonic returned.

His sharp blue shines had grown considerably and his tail as well. Sonic looked toward the door to see the elated doctor explode with joy. He rushed over to him and hugged him.

"Whoa, whoa, Doc I still play the straight line, not the curved one." said Sonic pushing the Doctor back.

"Sonic, how do you feel? You okay? How was the bed? Was it too springy? Not firm enough? What's going on?"

"Um… Good, Fine, Meh, A little, could have been better, and you tell me!" Sonic answered in succession.

"It's good to see you on your feet kid." said Dr. Quack, "But we don't have time for semantics, you need to get ready."

"Whoa whoa, get ready for what?" asked the blue hedgehog while being pushed out of the room. Dr. Quack escorted Sonic out of the hospital room past many woodland creatures with expressions of joy across their faces. Sonic politely waved as he was being shoved through hall after hall by the yellow duck. Sonic was pushed deeper and deeper into the catacombs of the hospital where Dr. Quack used security clearance to get past. He entered into a lab laced with technology. Sonic looked around and then proceeded in to find a new person in the lab.

"Hey Doc, who's down there?" asked Sonic.

"Sorry Sonic I've got a surgery to run to, but go introduce yourself. After all it is home." said Dr. Quack.

Sonic grabbed his head when images of Knothole Village started to pop around in his mind. The wooden structures surrounded by large trees were throughout his memories, and now it's a complete hospital.

What's going on?

Sonic walked down to the lab to see multiple versions of the same creature. She was in a purple dress with two beaded strands of hair flowing down her back. The top of her hair draped over through her large ears with three bundles of hair atop those ears. Her fur was mostly brown but had black at her ears, hands, and feet. Sonic made his way downstairs and looked up and around.

"Send in the clones!" said Sonic. Her large ears twitched when they all froze in motion. The other copies blinked away leaving the true one with her back turned to the hedgehog. She turned around and smiled at Sonic through forest green eyes.

"Welcome back Sonic the Hedgehog." she stated.

Images flashed through his head of a small handheld computer that was used time and again. Sonic started to smile and then chuckle a little bit.

"That voice, there's no way you are who I think you are!" stated the hedgehog.

"Processing." she stated. She blinked away and then appeared right before Sonic. She leaned in toward him and examined him.

"Heartbeat stable, blood pressure normal, and vitals are okay."

"You know if you wanna look some more it's gonna cost you."

"Wit seems to be normal as well."

"Okay who are you lady?"

"But your memory seems to have holes in it. You remember when you see them, correct?" she inquired.

"Your good. Yeah it seems that's the case, like when I woke up I remembered who I was, and the same with Dr. Quack."

"Your memory loss is very temporary, but shall heal once you tour the city."

"City?" Sonic questioned, "You mean village right?"

"No Sonic the Hedgehog, the village you seek has been destroyed."

"Knothole? Destroyed? Who did this?"

"Relax, Sonic the Hedgehog, things are at balance so far. New Mobotropolis is the new city founded by the remaining tribes of the Freedom Fighters."

Freedom Fighters triggered high velocity images of people and the villages throughout the world into Sonic's brain.

"Another memory gain, I see."

"I still don't know who you are."

"I am Nicole, the queen's personal hand-held computer turn moderator of the city."

"Nicole?!" Sonic exclaimed. "How did you? When did you? What did you?"

"It's a holorealmatic image inducer that allows me to have a physical appearance. Although tied to the city limits I run the mechanical functions throughout the city; even keeping us out of evils radar."

"I understood all of that."

"I'm certain you did Sonic the Hedgehog, but now is a time that you understand all things."

"Really? Like what?"

"My job is only to clothe you and inform you of your upgrades."

Nicole vanished and reappeared by the lab and hit a button. Behind Sonic a drawer opened up with steam emitting from its sides. Nicole appeared in mid-air and grabbed the contents of the drawer. She appeared in front of Sonic and handed him the contents.

"I'm guessing you don't walk." stated Sonic.

"Please try these on."

"Or make a joke either."

Sonic went behind a screen that Nicole provided and changed into the gear. He reemerged before Nicole and presented himself.

"I wear shorts now?" asked Sonic.

"A law has been passed no longer making the Freedom Fighters an optional nudist colony."

"Aww."

"Otherwise, the gear we've made seems to be just the right fit."

Sonic wore finger-exposing gloves with a Japanese kanji written on the backs of his hand. On his wrist was a golden band that separated the end of the flaring gloves. Across his waist was a black belt with a golden buckle. He wore baggy white shorts with a light blue band down the very middle and silver thigh armor. His trademarked red shoes had been upgraded from previous adventures that he had traveled on. The famous white stripe covered a yellow tongue with grey and yellow soles. Across the back was technology known as Light Dash which allows him to travel across a path of golden rings.

"Can I ditch the pants? I think I'm stating to get a wedgie."

"Sonic the Hedgehog, please put your tail through the provided hole."

"Oh, that makes sense. Okay so tell me, what do these kanji mean? I understand it means wind but why are they here. They've never been on anything else I wore."

"Technically Sonic the Hedgehog you've never wore anything but gloves and shoes."

"Oh now you make a joke."

"Not a joke but a simple observation."

"That, Nicole, is gonna cost you."

Sonic laughed as Nicole still held her solemn stiff posture.

"As for you, Sonic the Hedgehog, my part of the mission is over, I suggest you leave the hospital and head straight to New Mobotropolis Palace, where the Queen has longingly awaited your presence."

"Queen?" asked Sonic.

"Please make with your usual haste and speed over to their throne."

Sonics' mind showed images of himself traveling at lightning fast speeds wherever he went. He nearly felt the wind through his spines and the nearby pat of his own feet. Sonic remembered why he was called Sonic.

"Speed!" said Sonic crouching down.

"Good--"

Sonic blasted off through the lab doors, up the stairs of the hospital, onto the first floor, out the building and into the sunlight of the afternoon. He posted his hands on his hips under the Timmy Turtle Memorial Hospital sign as he gazed at the city.

"Bye." Nicole finished, "Wow he's fast. But I am too."

Appearing before the King and Queen was Nicole. She bowed and then returned to her normal posture.

"He has returned from his coma and is on his way here." stated Nicole.

The queen shifted back in her chair.

"You mean that blundering old fugitive has finally come to his wits?" asked the King.

"Yes, but without your use of insults, sire."

"Thank you Nicole." the queen expressed. "We will await his presence."

Sonic looked around at the tan buildings and up into the sky. The Freedom Fighters have come a long way from what he remembers. Even though certain buildings resembled Knothole Village's style, the tech added into was the cheese on a very delectable chili dog. Sonic licked his lips as the pungent smell filtered through the air. Sonic darted to the source of the smell and stopped in his tracks. He gazed upon the sign when memories ran across his head.

"Uncle Chuck!" yelled Sonic.

The roboticized hedgehog emerged from under the counter wiping a glass cup.

"Sonic!?" questioned the old-timer as the glass fell from his hand. Sir Charles blinked when Sonic appeared next to him holding the glass he had dropped.

"Still fast as ever!" said Uncle Chuck as they embraced.

"Uncle Chuck, how are you?" Sonic asked.

"You don't wanna hear about an old coot, I wanna hear about you. How'd you sleep?"

"Like a log, but I got a bit of memory loss goin' for me right now."

"Really, are you sure son, I mean you recognized me instantly."

"That's the thing I won't recognize anyone until I see them."

"Oh that's some abnormal thing you got goin' on there."

"Tell me about it… so my loving and metal chassed Uncle, how long was I out?"

"Sorry son, but I'm not at liberty to discuss those kinds of things wit'cha, but the King and Queen should set you straight."

"Yeah about that…"

"Center of the City, the immaculate building with the flags on it."

"Thanks Unc'." yelled Sonic as he blasted off to his destination. The glass he held was spinning on the counter as he had blasted away.

Passing many Mobian citizens along the way, Sonic was before the doors and the guard dogs. Huge and burly bloodhounds they had their arms crossed like bouncers before a club.

"C'mon guys, just one dance and then you can throw me out." Sonic pleaded.

The hounds look at each other and then grabbed the doors handle.

"Yes, time to party like its 3199!" said Sonic as he walked into the entrance. The Palace was immaculate with blues, reds, and yellows everywhere. The stained glass windows let a little light seep in through the windows as many different colors of the spectrum. The rug was soft under Sonics shoes as he walked toward the throne while keeping his eyes on the ceiling and upper walls. There were huge banners with different Freedom Fighter insignias on each of them all the way up until the throne where a golden altar sat for the King and Queen. Dressed in the finest of linens of deep purple and gold they watch Sonic the Hedgehog approached slowly.

"This is new, even for you hedgehog, your actually walking." said the King

Sonic got a good look at the king when images ran through his head. The last time Sonic saw him he is when he was being chased through the Devil's Gulag, but then teamed up with him after a certain reptile had helped him out.

"Geoffrey St. John!" Sonic pointed at him.

"You haven't lost a beat!" The skunk chuckled a bit while flashing his pricey rings on all fingers. This guy was the leading commander of the Kingdom's Secret Service back in the day. He looked as pompous as ever brooding with that cocky smile of his.

"Welcome back, Sonic the Hedgehog." said the Queen.

Sonic turned to the queen to see the familiar face he had immediately recognized. Her fur was just as brown while wearing royal cloth in light blue. She had rings on each of her fingers and a loose-fitting belt across her waist. She dropped the boots and wrapped her legs in the same blue cloth all the way to her toes. Her crown held back her curly dark red hair as it flowed to the center of her back. Sonic nearly capsized when he looked into her light blue eyes; she was as breathtaking as ever. Heir to the Acorn throne from her father was none other than that familiar chipmunk.

"Princess Sally Acorn." said Sonic.


	2. Look at 'Em Grow

"Sal, you look, wow

"Sal, you look, wow!" started the blue hedgehog. His spines twitching in the mere presence from the love of his life - five years ago. Coming out of coma has confused things for Sonic but not enough to scramble his life around too much. He thought of the missions and scattered memories they shared. From life endangering situations to mere conversations in the village all of them were great memories. Sonic looked at the queen when Geoffrey St. John, known as king around New Mobotropolis, interrupted.

"I'm afraid its Queen Sally now, hedgehog. Funny thing marriage is."

Sonic saw the chunk of Master Emerald ring on her finger as she tried to put up a heartfelt smile.

"My father died, you were… out of it and we needed a sign of hope, I needed a sign of hope and Geoffrey was there for me and the people of Knothole."

Sonic stumbled backward a little bit and grabbed his head.

"Did I wake up in the wrong life?" thought Sonic.

"Which reminds me," started Geoffrey. "You didn't get us our wedding gift."

"Geoffrey!" Sally exclaimed.

"I wonder what he's gonna get us."

Sonic's fists tightened as he took a step forward. Running in front of him and bowing humbly before the spiny-haired hedgehog was the fearful coyote turn military commander. He was dressed with the highest military honors even donning a scar near his left eye.

"Welcome back Sonic the Hedgehog." he said.

Mostly hilarious images pass through his head as Sonic grew a smile on his face.

"Antoine!" he yelled while attempting to grab him.

Antoine grabbed Sonic's wrist and spun him around while pulling his arm up higher.

"You shouldn't touch the Royal Chief General's overcoat, okay?" he said while smiling back at Sonic.

"Antoine you lost your accent, and got some skill I see." said Sonic as he was let go.

"I'm surprised you're not out on a mission." said Sonic.

"Actually I was here to be briefed on a mission that is taking place now."

"Say what?" asked Sonic.

"Antoine's right, there are four Freedom Fighters that are returning from a mission assigned to them three months ago." Sally explained. "They will be most surprised to see you again."

"Four." said Sonic while becoming excited.

"In the meantime we will tell what has happened in the time you've been away." started Sally.

"Sorry love, but I'll take this time to go to the john." said Geoffrey while getting up and leaving.

"So what happened Sal." asked Sonic while sitting on the red carpet.

"Well it goes like this," she began, "Since Robotnik started Project: Endgame in order to wipe out Knothole Village with his Ultimate Annihilator weapon, you were labeled as a fugitive for killing me. Obviously since it was a ploy from Robotnik and ultimately a spy in our ranks, there were complications among the group. But that's when you returned and took the fight to Robotnik, of course in an irresponsible way. Nevertheless you went toe-to-toe to Robotnik while his nephew and assistant Snively, reprogrammed the machine to target the war room; the place where you fought Robotnik. The Ultimate Annihilator destroyed Robotropolis and the outskirts of the Great Forest. Fortunately for us Antoine and Bunnie had remained unscathed under some of Robotropolis' wreckage."

"They found you in bad condition and in need of multiple surgeries. You were so near death we all couldn't stand to watch. But thankfully due to your collection of power rings and your tie to chaos energy the blast only did that damage to you. We hoped that you would return to us but at the same time the Freedom Fighters were in need of a fighter, a signal of hope, but that hope was resting underneath hospital sheets. After a year of turmoil Robotnik's swat-bots started to move and expand out Robotropolis. We had conceptions that Robotnik had returned and it proved correct. We lost the Wolf Pack Freedom Fighters that day to his wretched roboticizer. Since then no one has seen Robotnik since his base is on the other side of Mobius."

"We took this time to build up ourselves and the village but something had happened. Although we are unsure of even to this day, Robotnik's swat-bot army had overwhelmed and destroyed Knothole Village. That day was a year and a half ago. Since then Robotnik still searches for us but thanks to my Nicole we've remained off of his visible spectrums. Now that you are back things are finally starting to look up."

"I see you still haven't lost faith in me Sal."

"I never will."

"So why did you…"

The castle doors fly open with four ominous figures at the door.

"Oh your in luck Sonic, here they come." Antoine stated.

Sonic started to have a reel of memories return to him at once. The four creatures before him were none other than his best friends from five years ago.

"Oh my stars, Sugah-hog!" yelled Bunnie Rabbot, the half-roboticized rabbit with an innocent country accent. She was clad in a heavy brown leather jacket and matching hat. Her arm and legs were laced with technology as she approached Sonic. She embraced him in an adamant hug and kissed him on the cheek.

"I see you're still as strong as ever, Bunnie." Sonic stated rubbing his arms.

"S-Sonic?!" questioned the big guy. He was holding a massive cannon over his shoulder as he stomped to hug and overpower Sonic. He clinched Sonic even tighter and lifted him off of his feet. He wore two ammunitions belts across his chest and camouflage designed shorts. and combat boots. Whatever battle that was coming up he made sure he was the one ready.

"Rotor! I see you're still strong too!" screeched Sonic with air coming out of him.

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe it. Its good to see you on your feet!" screamed Amy Rose as she hugged him. She gave a less overpowering hug but just as affectionate. The pink hedgehog pecked Sonic on the cheek before she stepped back. Her joy was extremely visible as she clasped onto the yellow fox behind them all.

Wrapped up in his four flight-capable appendages, he crossed his arms and turned his nose up.

Sonic looked toward him and noticed just how much the "big guy" has grown. He was just a little shorter than Sonic with hair going every which way from his face. He wore stylish boots and the same type of gloves as Sonic. His four tails waving alongside him he opens one eye and looks at Sonic.

"Tails." said Sonic as he hugged him. Sonic embraced him and then stepped back for a moment.

"Wow look how big you got… and you got two more tails… you really have become the big guy." Sonic remarked.

"Get away from me." said Tails in a harsh tone. Sonic stepped back as he looked into Tails' eyes. This kid was definitely different than last time. His eyes were full of five years of pain and suffering. He turned around and walked the long carpet out of the Palace.

"Sorry Sonic, but Tails has changed." said Sally.

"I see…" said Sonic.

"Sonic, I know this is sudden but how capable do you think you can do on a mission?" asked Rotor.

"Tails…" thought Sonic as he watched him finally exit the castle, "What happened? You are best friend, the "big guy" and now all you do is snub me."

Sonic started to run after him when Bunnie grabbed his shoulder.

"Now y'all attention now, sugah." stated Bunnie.

"Oh uh, sorry Bunnie, what's up?" Sonic asked while looking back at the door.

"We need you on a mission, as soon as possible; you'll be heading straight into the core of Robotropolis."

"Say what?" questioned Sonic with a small grin on his face.

"No one has seen Dr. Robotnik in years and we need you to confirm his health while doing reconnaissance." Sally commanded.

"Um can we get a little rest in before we go… we were gone three months." reasoned Amy. Sonic glanced at her and remember all the times she claimed to be his girlfriend. She was in a tight black dress with a red strip going down from off-center. Her boots were in the same design with gray soles and dark green socks. She had a lot of gold and yellow bracelets on her wrist with red and black gloves over her hands. She had the kanji for power on the back of her hand. Her hair was wildly scattered in a neat way with a red and black headband holding it all back. Sonic glanced back at Sally and looked at her again. He sees his prize has been taken away by the skunk and King, Geoffrey St. John. Sonic smiles and shakes his head while posting his hands on his hips.

"Fine you leave tomorrow night." said Sally. "As for you Sonic you have a room awaiting your presence along with your teammates."

"C'mon Sonic I'll take you there." said Amy while walking towards the door.

"It'll be just like old times, hey buddy." said Rotor nudging him with his elbow.

"Just like it!" faked Sonic while slapping his hands. He knew things wouldn't be the same with Sally not at his side. The four friends head for the palace exit when Sonic stopped and ran toward Sally.

"Sally, I know that's not the reason." he said.

"Sonic, not now." Sally interjected. Geoffrey emerged from a hallway and directed toward Sally.

"C'mon love, the council meeting is a few ticks away." he stated. "Wouldn't want you missing it now."

"Please Sonic, try to enjoy yourself." she said leaving the throne. Sonic watched her every move as she exited. He still remembers the kisses he laid on her as if they were yesterday. Sonic let loose a single tear trail as he wiped it away quickly.

"It's not fair." said Sonic to himself.

Geoffrey opened the door for Sally as he pointed and winked at Sonic.

"Jerk." said Sonic.

He gathered himself and blasted out the castle next to Bunnie, Rotor, and Amy. They travel to the south where most of the homes and apartments were established. All the houses were in semi-sphere design and tan in color with southwestern colors to tell them apart. They travel to one of many tall silo-shaped apartments and enter. They take the elevator and travel to the top floor. There were five apartment doors with each persons name on it.

"C'mon Sonic!" yelled Amy as she grabbed his arm. They approach Sonic's door in the middle of the five when she pulls the key from under her bra. She slid in the key and opened the door revealing a small place with nothing to exciting going on it; pale white walls and empty space between furniture.

"This is it huh?" asked Sonic. "Home sweet home?"

"We didn't know when you would wake up and…"

"Its fine Amy, really, I was just making a joke. A small one…there it goes!"

Amy chuckles a little bit and walks into the apartment.

"Oh, I missed you… I mean them, the jokes, I miss the jokes. Amy misses jokes!"

Sonic smiled at her while stepping into the apartment.

"She's changed too," thought Sonic, "She's a lot more serious about her words now. She's come a long way from being my number one fan. And I see she's not gonna be the hostage anymore like when I first met her over Never Lake."

Amy wiping the sweat from her forehead and calming down a bit she played with the handle of the door.

"Oh yeah come to my apartment for dinner in an hour or two, I'm making my best dish."

She slammed the door as Sonic approached his bed in the room in the back. He lay upon it and put his arms behind his back. He pondered over the days events and chuckled at the funny memories. He thought about Dr. Quack, Nicole, and Sally mostly. He thought about Tails for a while and then about the mission. He squinted his eyes and tightened his mouth to at one particular thought. He looked into the ceiling and tried to remember but came up short. He propped his leg over his already curled leg and started bobbing his feet still trying to remember. He came to a point and stopped trying when all he could say is:

"Who's Dr. Robotnik?" he asked.


	3. Faster Than Lightning, Quieter Than Mice

He closed his eyes and fell asleep

He closed his eyes and fell asleep. He started to get comfortable when an image appeared in his head. Those familiar objects he sought that granted unimaginable power. He didn't a flashback to remember these things. Even though he had only felt their touch a couple of times he knew each time when he found one of seven.

The Chaos Emeralds.

They were the seven colors of the rainbow each with unique characteristics and traits. Sonic turned over in his sleep when a huge booming knock erupted him out of it.

He ran to the door when Rotor answered.

"Is this the first time you're gonna eat on of Amy's meals?" he asked not even saying a friendly hello. Rotor had become a bit bossy. Guessing with his size no one has told him no in a while.

"Um yeah I think so."

"You're gonna need this then." said Rotor while handing him a bottle of pink liquid medicine.

"Is it that bad?" asked Sonic reading the label.

"You should probably take that now, just drink the whole bottle."

"Yeah he's definitely a lot more bossy." thought Sonic.

Sonic downed it while Rotor escorted him into Amy's apartment. The place was pink and red with a lot of girly trinkets everywhere. The apartment was no place for a guy. Still as small as Sonic's there was enough room for a kitchen table where friends would come and eat. Sonic entered and sat next to Bunnie who was next to a visiting Antoine.

"You guys are awfully close." stated Sonic.

"Well we should be since we are married." Antoine shot back.

"Married, wow!" Sonic exclaimed.

"Go ahead, Antoine." Sonic thanked.

"No when are y'all gonna get us wedding gift?" asked Bunnie.

"Why does everyone ask me that?" asked Sonic, "I've been in a coma!"

The door opened with Tails holding onto the knob. He panned the room and saw Sonic sitting at the table. He stared at him while Sonic waved to sit in the chair next to him. Tails looked at Amy and shook his head no.

"Looks, like take out tonight." said Tails leaving. He slammed the door knockin a picture of young Amy to the floor. Luckily the glass didn't shatter.

Sonic got up and slammed his hands on the table and started to chase after him.

"What is with that kid?!" he yelled. "I'm goin' after him!"

"Sonic no! He's too strong for you!" yelled Amy from the kitchen.

"Tails? Stronger than me? You're out your betty crockin' mind if you think that!"

"Sonic, Tails has been infused with an element just like you have." started Antoine, "He's very dangerous but luckily he's devoted to New Mobotropolis."

"Okay that's new information. So what I can still run circles around him!" Sonic argued while starting to sit down.

"Sugah-hog, didn't you notice his fourth tail?" asked Bunnie, "That means he's in, well, puberty. He's going through some changes and we have to help him through things."

"So puberty makes him better than me." asked Sonic while leaning back in his chair.

"I guess you'll just have to see on the mission." said Rotor shutting him up.

"All these years and your still a cocky hedgehog." said Amy while serving up dinner. She slopped whatever it was onto their plates as each of them made a grueling face.

"Eat up." she stated.

"Are you sure this edible?" thought Sonic.

"Last time I ate this, I had gas for eleven weeks." thought Rotor.

"Now honey, I don't know if I can take another one of Miss Amy's dinners." thought Bunnie.

"Wow Amy, this is great!" Antoine complimented while digging his spoon deeper and deeper.

"Eww…" said the other three.

Sonic grabbed the others plates and blasted out the apartment. He dropped the food off in the forest and took one last smell of.

"Eww." he said again.

He blasted off back into the apartment and back into his seat before anyone realized he was gone.

"Dreams do come true!" said Rotor.

"So what happened on you guys last mission." asked Antoine through bites of Amy gruel.

"Oh my stars, I almost forgot about that." said Bunnie while clinching her forehead.

"We had a mission to find other divisions of Freedom Fighters in the land of Downunda." started Rotor. "Things started out fine with Tails piloting us in the Tornado-XLZ through the natural part of Mobius. We came across the desert and into Downunda's territory still with no problems. We got there and into the land but it was just nothing."

"Nothing?" asked Sonic and Antoine.

"Just a whole mess of Swat-bot parts and creatures that didn't survive them massacres." Bunnie explained. "At that time our li'l team had split up to cover more ground. Tails and Amy went northeast as me and Rotor searched northwest."

"That's when we thought we were in the clear when we ran into…him." said Rotor. "That son of a…"

"Now now Rotor, no need to use that kind of language in my house." Amy stated while cutting him off.

"Sorry but I hate him." said Rotor while clinching his fists. "He could have been a help to us if he didn't make the choices he had."

"I assume you mean the other hedgehog." said Antoine while nodding his head.

"Shadow the Hedgehog intercepted us and fought us nearly killing us." said Bunnie reminiscing.

"Whoa whoa, time out from the story!" exclaimed Sonic. "Who the heck is Shadow the Hedgehog?"

"Well Sonic, to put it simply, he looks just like you, but is evil incarnate." Amy began, "He's the reason Knothole was destroyed. Me, Tails, and some other fighters tried to stop him when he went on his ultimate life form rampage but managed to gain some sort of new power. Even with the upgrades we all received, Shadow is three times as powerful as us."

"There's somebody out there that looks just like me." said Sonic.

"Rotor and Bunnie were up to their necks in Shadow's attacks when Tails and I arrived. Tails took him on without question and got us enough time to retreat. I wish Tails was here to tell you about his fight…" Amy finished.

"Anyway, we waited for Tails but he didn't comeback to the rendezvous point on time. We decided to scout for Tails and found him near the ocean. He said he'd been fighting Shadow just up until we came." Rotor explained.

"But the funny thang is he didn't have a scratch on him." said Bunnie. "I swear the kid is untouchable."

"He said Shadow fled to Angel Island where his next goal was and we decided to follow him there." Rotor explained. "We flew there on the plane and got together with Knuckles and his team and warned him of Shadows arrival. They made necessary preparations and guarded the islands Master Emerald very well. Shadow appeared again throwing many of the guards aside. We faced him again and successfully held him off from the Master Emerald but he got away with his original goal, the green Chaos Emerald."

"Afterwards we help restore damages to the Marble Gardens area and began the journey home." Amy finished.

"Well this settles it!" yelled Sonic. "I've gotta find this Shadow guy and defeat him for hurting my friends. I'll teach that hedgehog who's really the top hog!"

"Sonic, I think you should just take things slow this first mission." Antoine suggested.

"Slow?!" Sonic interrogated. "Slow is for fat people and retards, I'm Sonic the Hedgehog, faster than lightning, quieter than a mouse, I'll be there and back before you know I'm even gone!"

Amy laughed with the others joining in.

"We'll see Sonic." said Amy taking the plates from the table.

Tails finishes up his chili dog from Sonic's uncle Chuck dog stand. He sits alone at the bar under the yellow colored lights as Sir Charles wipes the glass cup.

"I should really switch these to plastic." mumbled the old metal hog.

Tails chuckled before sipping some of his soda.

"So how was your latest mission sport, I can tell you've gotten stronger."

"It was good." Tails simplified. Uncle Chuck put the glass down and lined it up with others.

"I see you got other things on your mind huh?" he inquired like any good bartender would.

"It's just…" started Tails. "Speak of the devil…"

"Hey Unc!" exclaimed the speedy hog arriving at an instant. Tails sensing his arrival didn't bat an eye.

"Yo Tails, I see you got your usual! Put me down for mine Sir Charles!" Sonic demanded taking a stool next to the four-tailed fox.

"Sixteen chili dogs comin' your way!" said Chuck getting ready to fill the order.

"I just heard about your mission." said Sonic getting serious, "You're doing things this time huh?"

"I'm only doing what's right for freedom." Tails finally uttered.

"You sound like a robot, lighten up a little big guy! Look where we are!"

Sonic placed his hands on Tails' shoulder when Tails looked his way. He batted off Sonic's hand erupted from the stool.

"All these years and you still condescend to me!" Tails lashed out.

Sonic smiled finally awaking something from Tails – too bad it was anger.

"Relax Tails." said Sonic placing his hands behind his head. Tails grabbed Sonic by the throat and held him in the air.

"I'm done taking orders from you Sonic, I've gotten this far without you and I prefer to go the rest of the way…without you." Tails gnashed. He dropped Sonic onto the stool and stared at the blue blur while he regained his breath.

"Later Uncle Chuck." said Tails turning his back to the hedgehog.

"Hey Tails." Sonic called out.

The fox stopped in his tracks with his ears twitching.

"I can't wait for the mission… so I can run circles around you!"

Tails balled his fists and continued walking before he was out of range the four-tailed fox voiced his opinion.

"You can try." he stated.

Sonic smiled leaning further onto the stool. Uncle Chuck stood paralyzed with the grilled hot dogs burning to crisp.

"Sonic are you crazy!?" Uncle Chuck spat out.

"Don't worry, Unc, the best way to get to Tails right now is through rivalry. Now that I told him I can beat him with ease he's gonna try his best to defeat me." Sonic explained. Uncle Chuck relaxed a bit before turning over the charred hot dogs.

"Still Sonic, Tails is a force to be feared, you should go about this with caution." stated the wise robot.

"Don't worry Unc, underneath his extra two tails and extra hair lies Miles Prower, my best friend."

Sonic nodded to Uncle Chuck when he finally noticed the smell.

"Unc, your burning the sweet sensation known as chili dogs!" Sonic exclaimed. Sir Charles finally paid attention and got them off the grill.

"Whoops!" Chuck stated.

After another set of sixteen chili dogs had been made and eaten Sonic arrived back in his apartment. He got to his bed and fell into the comfy sheets and blankets. He kicked off his shoes and closed his eyes to fall into sleep. His stomach digesting the food made gurgling sounds as if to say job well done. Sonic wrapped himself in his covers when two hands snatched the covers off of him.

"What the…?" yelled Sonic as the hand clasped over his mouth. That hand was attached to the body of a ninja. Dressed in the conventional black attire he threw the blanket to the ground. Even his face was fully covered not even revealing the eyes. Sonic balled his fist and blasted from his bed and hit the air. The ninja was fast. Sonic skidded to a stop with the bottoms of his socks making him slide across the wood floors. Sonic fell to the ground as the ninja shook his head in disgrace.

"Come on you lame Naruto, lets get to the fun part!" Sonic yelled. The ninja grabbed Sonic's shoe and threw it out the open window he came through.

"Crap." said Sonic. The ninja threw a couple of shuriken as Sonic dodged to the left sliding into the kitchen. He hit the oven and fell over to his side.

"This is not a good night!" stated Sonic getting up. The ninja clasped Sonic's hands and pinned them against the oven. He put one leg over Sonic's body and sat over his lap. Sonic now noticed this wasn't a male ninja but a female one with a goal in mind.

"All you had to do was ask baby!" Sonic uttered through a smile.

The ninja got closer to Sonic's mouth and kissed him through the silky cloth of the mask. Oddly enough the ninja was a good kisser and had Sonic in a daze. Sonic kissed right back letting her hands release the grasp over Sonic's. Sonic felt the ninja's body as he caressed it all the way up to her neck. He found the end of the mask and grasped it slightly. The ninja broke away from the kiss and stepped back. She ran back toward the bedroom and out the window. Sonic's front door had been busted open by a black, red, and yellow hammerhead with Amy at the handle.

"What the heck is going on?" she asked with a disturbed look on her face. Sonic lay love struck in front of the oven as Amy gazed at him. Sonic didn't have his shoes on and there were shuriken embedded into floor. A shoe flew through Sonic's window and landed next to the other.

"Whatever you do in your spare time is your business." Amy whispered as she slowly exited with a quiet shutting of the door.

"I love ninja's." stated Sonic.

Finally the morning arrives with the sun beaming over New Mobotropolis. The palace glistened from the sunrise to a new day. Standing before King and Queen St. John were the now five-man team known as the Freedom Fighters.

Sonic being the fastest thing in recorded history.

Bunnie Rabbot who is the half rabbit half machine.

Rotor the now battle ready commando.

Amy Rose holding her large hammer in hand.

Miles "Tails" Prower who now leads the team.

"Your mission is an important one." began Queen Sally. "Hopefully with Sonic's speed added to the team we can finally travel into New Robotropolis."

"Although I liked the four man team, your success depends if we keep this arrangement, Sonic the Hedgehog." said Geoffrey St. John.

"No problem, Skunk-y." Sonic sort of insulted.

"So without further delay!" Sally interrupting her husband, "Nicole shall escort you to the city gates."

Nicole appeared before the team and bowed.

"Follow me." she said as she walked them out the palace. Sonic caught up with her and whispered to her.

"Hey Nicole, do you know anything about intruders?" he asked.

"If you are inquiring to know if any intruders have entered the city then that is a no." she uttered.

"No I mean like ninja's and stuff." Sonic interrogated.

Nicole's eyes suddenly went wide and then abruptly back to normal.

"No I do not. But I shall look into it." said Nicole.

"Past cool, Nicole." said Sonic. "Let's get this show on the road!"

Nicole had looked back at Queen Sally St. John and shook her head. The queen had a satisfied look on her face as she watched Sonic walk out the palace.

"Queen Sally!" Nicole exclaimed in her head."


	4. Up, Over, and Gone

Your mission is to travel across the world of Mobius and into enemy territory." started the holorealmatic Lynx known as Nicole, "You must confirm Robotnik's existence while gaining information on his plans. There will be dangers as minor as swat-bots to major ones such as Shadow the Hedgehog. You all must survive and return with here with news. Be sure to cover your tracks and recharge your elements on a regular basis. You may begin."

"Question!" Sonic the Hedgehog announced.

"Your teammates can answer questions that may arise." Nicole answered

"Your good." Sonic said.

"I'm great." Nicole corrected. She blipped away as the five turn their sights eastward. They were to cross the entire planet of Mobius to carry out their mission and it was going to be a long time. Sonic stretched his arms and ran in place getting psyched up for what's at hand.

"You guys aren't as hype as I am?" Sonic questioned.

"C'mon Sugah-hog we've been on missions since the cows came home." said Bunnie.

"We're wasting time lets go." commanded Tails. He darted off from the New Mobotropolis gates and was gone in an instant. Bunnie and Rotor clicked their heels when blue flames erupted from their shoes and boots. They rocketed to the sky and blasted after Tails.

"Hurry up slow moe!" said Amy as she darted off. Everyone left the fastest thing alive back at the city gates. Sonic smiled and placed his hands on the ground.

"You guys must have forgot who I am." Sonic stated. He leapt to a near handstand as his legs started kicking. He was falling to the ground with his feet at top speed.

"Up, over, and gone!" Sonic yelled as he blasted after his team. He blasted past Bunnie and Rotor, eased past Amy and caught up to Tails. He smiled at the four-tailed fox and began to put on the jets. Sonic caught up to Tails and officially ran a circle around him.

"See ya "li'l guy"!" Sonic exclaimed as he ran even faster before Tails.

Tails gritted his teeth as he dug a little deeper and chased after Sonic. The trees and woods were literally a blur with the other four behind Sonic.

"Here he comes." said Sonic as he started to run backwards. Tails blasted by Sonic and out of the woods into a clearing. Sonic smiled as Amy was starting to catch up. Sonic slowed up and started running evenly with Amy.

"You've gotten faster Amy!" stated Sonic.

"I should be! I am a hedgehog after all!" Amy began, "Even if I'm not born with speed ability like you but I still learned from watching you."

"Yeah watching the dust I kick up should make you wanna learn." thought Sonic.

Bunnie and Rotor just feet above the ground had caught up to the pink and blue blur.

"Hey slow down! Unlike you guys we run on fuel!" commanded Rotor.

"Where's Tails?" asked Bunnie.

"He's doin' the leader thing." Sonic informed.

"Okay I gotta know!" started Sonic, "What's the deal with these kanji on my hands."

"The kanji," Amy began, "Are the elements given to you. Since you have wind you can attack and increase your speed with aid of the breezes you create."

"One of the ones I remember that boosts your speed is called…Sonic Gust!"

"Sonic Gust?" Sonic questioned. The kanji on the backs of his hands lit up and surrounded his body in wind. The wind started to form into an arrow which made him even more aerodynamic.

"Way past cool!" he yelled as he almost instantly vanished. Trees were uprooted and stones split in half as Sonic blinked past Tails.

"Dammit!" yelled Tails.

The wind around Sonic started to fade away as he slowed to a stop. Luckily he slowed at a beach where the blue ocean was all that graced the horizon.

"Where are we going again?" asked Sonic to himself. Tails ran up to Sonic and stopped right in his face.

"Hey "li'l guy" how's second place strikin' ya?" asked Sonic. Tails fur started to glow as electricity flowed from his body. Sonic noticed the kanji placed on the back of Tails hand which read lightning.

"Lightning huh? That's cool, if you're a cloud… Me I got the wind kid, you won't catch me!" Sonic remarked.

"Keep on talking!" Tails gnashed as the lightning reacted to his emotion. Suddenly the electricity shut off as he moved out of Sonic's face. Amy approached and stopped at the two when she gathered a skeptical look on her face. She approached Sonic and stood next to him. She stared into his eyes as Sonic looked back.

"WHat!?" he yelled.

"I knew it!" she yelled. She unlatched the hammer across her back and started to strike Sonic.

"Amy wait, please, I can explain!" Sonic begged.

Amy tapped Sonic's head as a small knot appeared on his head.

"Stop egging Tails on!" she commanded.

"How did you…" Sonic started.

"My intuition…" she stated.

"Great you still got that goin' for ya!" Sonic questioned.

"Thanks to my teachers I've grown as strong as you were five years ago."

"Teachers?" Sonic asked a little excited.

Rotor and Bunnie landed spreading dust and debris into the air as they did.

"Bout time we caught up with ya'll." said Bunnie.

"We rest here for a little bit and then we proceed across the ocean." commanded Tails.

"Whoa Miles, time out! The ocean, are you insane?" Sonic began, "I know you know how to swim but what about me and Amy, we can't swim."

"Actually I took lessons some time ago and I can at least stay afloat." Amy corrected.

"Okay so I can't swim." Sonic remarked.

"Idiot! Don't you remember when we first met Knuckles and traveled through Hydro-City! You surface ran over the water. With enough speed the water will be just like the ground, as long as you don't stop. I still can't believe someone as strong as you can't even swim."

Sonic smiled as Tails walked away.

"Why are you smiling?" asked Rotor.

"He called me strong!" Sonic stated.

"Crap I called him strong!" thought Tails.

"How long until we reach New Robotropolis?" asked Sonic.

"At this quick li'l pace we got goin' I'd say by nightfall." said Bunnie.

"I don't know Bunnie, We have to cross this ocean and we don't know the weather for later on." started Rotor, "We could run into a storm and be divided across the water."

"Yeah yeah, I agree with Rotor maybe we should just stick it out on dry land." said Sonic.

"And I didn't bring enough fuel cells to cross the ocean." said Bunnie.

"You're unpreparedness has always been a hinder for us." said Tails chiming in.

"I'm sorry Tails." Bunnie apologized.

"Jeez, We're going to have to take by the land and go back to Angel Island so Bunnie and Rotor can refuel. After a stay there we leave and get right back on track with our mission."

"Does this mean we can visit her!" Amy exclaimed.

"I guess we can stop there." said Tails conceding to Amy's excitement.

"Who is it!?" asked Sonic.

"C'mon let's hurry!" exclaimed Amy while grabbing Sonic's hand. The run off in a small burst of speed with Tails right behind them.

"You okay Bunnie?" asked Rotor.

"You think she's forgiven me yet?" Bunnie questioned with a bit of trembling in her voice.

Rotor started to walk off.

"It's best if you stay behind." he said before he soared off. Bunnie looked down and gathered her emotions. She had a bad run in the last couple of times when she and the other girl had met. Bunnie swallowed her pride and pursued the rest of the team. They blast across the beaches and shore of the Mobian continent. They took the breathtaking sights of the unaltered part of the world. Since Robotnik had taken over he has taken over two-thirds of the planet and just might be in progress with the rest. Anyway with a small gap in time left for the Freedom Fighters they use their opportunity to fight back like they always did.

They blast across the dense brown sand across rocky shores and up cliffs and coves. They were all at a steady pace keeping with one another when Sonic the Hedgehog started to pull ahead of the leading Tails.

"Hey buddy, you up for a race?" asked Sonic.

"Sonic!" Amy exclaimed.

"Relax Amy, I just wanna see if the li'l guy is interested." Sonic summed up.

Tails turned his head toward the hedgehog and gave him the same intense look from before.

Those eyes were set on the intent to kill.

"You know you wanna!" Sonic goaded.

Tails sped up a bit as Amy caught up to Sonic. She smacked him in the side of the head.

"Ahh what was that for? You almost through me off balance! I could have died!" Sonic exaggerated.

"You're even cuter when you're competitive." Amy stated.

"Are you a ninja?" asked Sonic.

"Ninja?" she returned while slowing down.

The others pass her by as she ponders over things. They cross into the forest leaping through trees and passing through huge vines. Though everything was in the start of life the colors were still green as ever.

"The last time we were here Shadow blew this place up. I never expected it to grow so fast." Rotor explained.

"Blow up?" questioned Sonic.

"Ugh Sugah-hog, there's so much y'all don't know." said Bunnie in a less cheerful mood than usual.

The darted from the forest and into a clearing where mountains and hills were all that could be seen.

"Amy, lead the way." Tails commanded.

"Yes Tails." she remarked. "C'mon Sonic. She'll be so surprised to see you!"

Amy clutched Sonic's hand and ran across the field. They ran over a hill and into a small valley only a couple hundred feet wide. In the middle was a wooden house with a wooden fence surrounding it.

"Wow I've never seen so many in one place." said Sonic. In the yard of the property were chao's of all kinds. Red chao, green chao, and even purple chao were all over the place. Some even looked like people they know and others with chromatic color schemes. The chao are used for growing and intellectual purposes but are mainly used as pets. They take on attributes from their user and transfer the information onto themselves depending on which side of the battle one is on. Although sounding complex these creatures have a cute outwardly appearance that Amy Rose cannot resist. She scrambled down into the yard and hopped the gate she searched throughout the lawn and found a specific she picked it up and cuddled it as it returned the favors.

It was just as pink as Amy with wild hair atop the chao's head. Its eyes were teal and so was the ball floating above its hair. Soon enough everyone else had a chao in their hands except for the rabbit still atop the hill. Sonic waved at her but she shook her head no and sat down on the grass.

"What's with her?" asked Sonic.

"She doesn't like visiting this place because she fell out with the resident here." said Tails.

"So Bunnie and the nicest, cutest little rabbit girl I know aren't friends anymore?" asked Sonic.

"Aaaah!" Amy screamed in excitement, "There you are!"

Emerging from the house adorned in all black was Cream the Rabbit.

"What do you want?" she said never leaving the doorway.

"We came to visit, Cream, how are you?" Amy asked as she approached. Amy hugged her tightly as Cream wasn't so giving. Amy let go as Cream crossed her arms and scaled Sonic.

"Welcome back Sonic." Cream greeted with no sign of emotion.

"Good to see you Cream, how's your mom doing?" asked Sonic.

The others in the team grew wide-eyed as they leapt away from Cream. Sonic was immediately paralyzed as he floated into the air. Cream stepped from the doorway and down the three steps onto the grass. Her hand was raised in the air as she stopped before Sonic.

"My mother is dead, thanks to that Rabbit over there." said Cream as she stared at the far-away Bunnie Rabbot. She felt Cream's eyes pierce through her as she started to stand up.

She released Sonic from her clutches as the kanji written on the back of her hand read control.

"Cheese, Chocola, Berry!" Cream called. Flying through air with angel, bat, and condor wings were three chao's of rare breed. Cheese was adorned with angel wings and a golden halo above his head. He was solid white with red and blue hair down his back. He wore a jacket and loosely arranged tie across his neck. Chocola had bat wings across his back with a small black hole hovering over his head. His hair was bright red with horns shooting from his head and hands. His body was dark brown while he had red gauntlets on his forearms. Berry had huge condor-like wings in a rainbow of greens. Her body was strawberry red with a yellow light over top her pointy head. She had green coloration at her hands and feet and wore a yellow shirt and shorts.

Sonic rose to his feet and felt his neck.

"So Vanilla's dead huh?" Sonic asked.

"I swear on my own grave I will kill you if you do not stop bringing her up!" Cream yelled. All the chao in the yard reacted to her emotions and started hovering around Sonic and the team.

"Cream c'mon lets go inside and talk!" Amy suggested.

"No I don't want to do that or spend anytime with any one of you! I hate each person that comes here to waste my time." she said.

"Cream you've taken a turn for the worse." Sonic said.

She pointed at Sonic as he flew down into the ground. He was impaled into the ground with a huge amount of pressure. He was sinking rather quickly until Bunnie stepped.

"Stop it, youngin'" she commanded.

"It's about time you faced me." Cream said in a dark tone. "Cheese!"

The Hero Chaos Chao slammed into Bunnie's stomach immediately as she fell to the ground.

"That's enough!" yelled Rotor.

"Chocola!" Cream called again.

The Dark Chaos Chao flew toward Rotor as the walrus tried to swat him away. The chao stopped Rotors fist and tossed him to the ground.

"Cream no." Amy pleaded.

"Berry!" Cream commanded.

The Neutral Chaos Chao had a pink aura around her when an iron appeared and landed on the ground.

"She still hasn't gotten used to her randomization powers has she?" Tails questioned.

"Stay back Tails." Cream commanded.

"Cream think about what you're doing this isn't right." Tails said while approaching her. "At the least spare Rotor Amy and Bunnie."

"Not even your best friend?" Cream questioned while she dropped her guard.

"Thunder Tail!" the fox yelled. He lashed his tails when four small bolts of electricity surged into Cream and her Chao's. They all fell to the ground with small surges coming over them.

"Tails!" Amy cried, "What did you do?"

She rushed over to Cream and started shaking them.

"They're okay, I just gave them a shock equal to a tazer."

"Ten thousand volts huh?" said Sonic rising to his feet. "That's good enough for your friends."

"I would have given you ten-million!" Tails scoffed. "Let's get out of here, this has been nothing but a waste of time." The Freedom Fighters leave the area of Cream's residence as a certain figure looms over her. Grasping in his hand the green Chaos emerald he smiles as the fighters walk off. He caresses Creams face as he walks into the house. The chao's outside were all shivering in fear from the powerful figure they just encountered. The figure went straight into the house and right for a picture of Vanilla, Cream's mother. It hung on the wall perfectly straight until the intruder flung it from the wall. He slammed his hand into the wall and pulled back his hand to reveal a yellow gem in his palm.

He turned around to be caught in the graces of Cream's control.

"You said… you wouldn't deceive me, Shadow" Cream yelled.

"There's no rules in love and war, you simply had what I wanted."

She looked in hands to see the two emeralds in his hands. She started to outreach her left hand when Shadow uttered infamous words.

"Chaos Control." he whispered.

Instantly Cream was down on the ground with over half of her chao dead or injured. The house was in shambles and huge amounts of the ground had been upturned.

Shadow emerged from the small valley with two emeralds in hand and following the Freedom Fighters.

"I'm ready, Tails!" Shadow stated.


	5. Feelin' Warp Seven

The sky was all there was to be seen on the horizon. Residents of this location enjoyed the peaceful air and the occasional cloud passing through the island. The ground was covered with bright green grass and huge spiky bushes. There were waterfalls falling from the distant mountains and huge trees in every shade of brown. Although it was call an island the place was more continental than anything. There were regions from every part of the world like the ice caps, and the marble gardens and even a huge fairground where carnival activities were held. To anyone's knowledge the place hadn't changed a bit especially for the blue blur standing on its edge and surveying the entire island.

"Hurry up slow moes!" yelled Sonic. The rest of his team was scaling the island by flight with Amy within Tails arms. They come topside and take a short break to discipline Sonic.

"You impatient little hog!" Amy snapped. Her arms thrusted in the air as her cute air had now turned into a maddening aura. Sonic took a defensive position with a cocky smile on his face.

"Relax Amy."

"You nearly sank your whole team in your haste!" yelled Amy.

"Did I?" Sonic recollected. Before arriving on the island the team was eyeing the Island from the sea. Sonic was standing atop Rotor's huge shoulder's, while Tails held Amy by the arms.

"Whatever you do Rotor don't loose your balance and tip over." Sonic squeaked.

"Sonic you can calm down, your with your main man here, I'm not gonna let you drown. And since Tails and I developed these boots you're not going portside."

"Sweet." Sonic stated.

"Is everyone ready?" asked Tails.

"Umm… not really." said Sonic. "I wanted to try another one of my Wind attacks out. Something like Sonic Blast, or Sonic Pulse, or Sonic Tornado."

The wind grew to violent gusts as it encircled around the team with Sonic at its center. Rotor was blasted into the water as the others were tossed like dolls. They skipped across the water as Sonic had erupted from mid air and high into the air. He spiraled all the way up and came to a stop in time to see the entire island miles underneath him.

"Feelin' warp seven." Sonic said in astonishment as he began falling to the island.

Amy unleashed her hammer and smashed where Sonic once was. The entire cliff side they were on instantly shattered as Amy chased Sonic into the forest.

"C'mon, ya'll know how she gets when she doesn't control that anger of hers." Bunnie said while activating her rocket boots. Amy preyed upon Sonic who was as careless as ever while dodging her lethal attacks. They were moving rapidly through the forest with their teammates hanging back not to get in Amy's way. Sonic leapt from a tree trunk and onto a branch when Amy appeared at the same time as he did.

"Amy?" he yelped. She swung her hammer quickly as Sonic barely leaned back in time. Sonic whipped out his arm and caught the hammer before she could swing again.

"Just like old times eh?" Sonic questioned.

Amy instantly cooled down as she looked into Sonic's green eyes. Her grip sort of loosened on her Piko Piko Hammer as Sonic let go.

"I see Amy had a heart and decided not to pummel you." said Rotor while coming to an unexpected stop. His boots were putting out blue flames which meant his fuel supply was running low. He sloppily landed on a branch as it started to crack from the weight. Rotor gained stability on the branch as Bunnie landed next to him.

"This means we're walking." stated Tails as he landed on the forest floor underneath his team. "At least the village isn't far from here.

"Walking?" Sonic questioned. They dropped down from the branches and onto the forest floor. The place had undergone a fire not too long ago from a machine of some sort. Sonic recollected those memories as he strolled through under the leaves.

"Tails." Sonic called with a serious tone.

"What is it?" Tails spat out.

"The first time we were here some red guy took the Chaos Emeralds didn't he?" Sonic questioned.

"Hmph!" Tails sounded with a small smile, "He hit you one time in your best form and managed to knock out the emeralds. You just stood there with a pitiful look on your face as I flew down."

"That sounds about right." Sonic mumbled.

"But you redeemed yourself by saving me from Dr. Robotnik over Never Lake, remember?" Amy asked.

"Sort of." said Sonic.

"You know I've grown a lot since then right?" asked Amy.

"Yeah last time I saw you, you were like 6 and now your 16, how did you?..." asked Sonic shortly before being interrupted.

"We're here." said Tails. Before the freedom fighters was a huge clearing with huts and houses in the same design of New Mobotropolis. They were in a red green and yellow color scheme with the people wearing many of the same colors. There was a huge amount of echidna walking through the village in all shades of red, orange, cherry, and even pink. They walk into the village with most of the villagers recognizing everyone but Sonic. Sonic didn't mind the lack of attention but still wanted to impress them a dash around the island a couple times. The Freedom Fighters pass through the village and into a castle that rivaled New Mobotropolis'. They walk the huge rug as Amy bursts into a jog.

"Master!" she called.

"Amy?!" questioned the female echidna sitting on the queen's throne. "What are you doing here?"

The queen was just as pink as Amy on her echidna skin. She had dreads like most villagers had sported but two of them were roboticized that fell to the sides of her face. She wore a warrior's garb that was one part bikini one part shirt and shorts underneath a huge luxurious coat that was adorned with fine linens and jewels encrusted on it too.

"We were in the neighborhood… you know." said Amy.

"Tails, Rotor, Bunnie! I haven't seen you guys in ages!" she exclaimed. She turned to Sonic and her smile turned into a doubting cringe. "But who is this?"

"Queen Julie-Su, master, this is the hero of Knothole, Sonic the Hedgehog." Amy introduced.

"How's it hangin'?" asked Sonic while stretching his hand out to greet. Julie-Su reluctantly shook Sonic's hand and coyly wiped it on the chair behind her.

"Wait, you mean that Sonic?" Julie-Su questioned. "Would you mind sticking around for a few seconds?"

Julie leapt off the throne not seeking an answer but ran to the hidden door on the wall. She pushed it open and ducked her head in. The freedom Fighters heard many voices just before the interruption. They heard the muffled sounds of a scruffy voice when it exclaimed.

"He's alive!" it voiced.

Julie-Su stepped out of the way as a burly one eyed echidna emerged from the room.

"Sonic!" he yelled with slight disdain. He flew over and tackled Sonic in a near instant and they tumbled across the floor.

"What the heck man, don't tear the shorts, they're vintage!" Sonic erupted.

"I thought you were dead you spiky haired sorry excuse for a pig!" The red echidna reeled his massive fists back and went in for a lethal punch. Sonic managed to get away but was scorched by the flames coming from the echidna's fists.

"Whoa what is goin' on here!?" asked Sonic.

"It's a ghost, Kill it!" added Tails.

"It is?" the echidna believed. The echidna blasted a string of fire from his fist as Sonic reacted almost instantly with a small dosage of Sonic Tornado. This time the wind spiraled and shot up around him as the weak fire was canceled by the strong wind.

"I'm not a ghost, I'm the real deal people. Sonic the Hedgehog in the flesh!" he reminded.

"What?" the echidna questioned.

"Now can somebody tell me who this guy is?" asked Sonic with a smirk on his face. He knew exactly who it was.

"I see that five year death-sleep didn't make any progress on your maturity." said the echidna.

"And I see five years has only strengthened your gullibility." said Sonic. The two clash again each holding each others fists in the palms and Sonic sliding down to his knees.

"Geez Knuckles you're even stronger than I remember." said Sonic conceding the fight.

"Good to see you King Knuckles." said Rotor while he approached and shook his hand.

"What brings you guys here?" asked Knuckles, "I was just in the middle of a meeting you know."

"Honey!" mumbled a now close Julie-Su, "I thought you said you were gonna destroy that Sonic, guy when he woke up."

"I was only kidding Jules. You're getting more gullible than me." Knuckles whispered back.

"Wait, did the walrus say that you were king?" asked Sonic while getting up.

"Knuckles is the King of Angel Island, Sonic. King St. John decided to break up Mobius regions into three sections with Knuckles over Angel Island and the Land of the Sky."

"Oh… then what about the Chaotix? Where's that trademark team of yours Knux?" asked Sonic.

"They're my top Royal Guards now and they're out on a mission right now trying to find a weak point in Robotropolis' boundaries."

"If you have any information on how to get through can you let us know?" asked Tails.

"C'mon Tails you know the King has you covered." said Knuckles as he winked and then Tails smiled back.

"So what mission are the Freedom Fighters on this time?" asked Julie-Su.

"Well now that Sonic has awoke we are gonna try and break through to the core of Robotropolis." Bunnie explained.

Everyone paused.

"That's very dangerous, don't do it." Julie-Su tried to reason. Knuckles placed a huge hand on her shoulder and then shook his head in disagreement.

"Let them fulfill their mission Jules, they have Tails and the second rate hedgehog over there."

"Second-rate!?" Sonic bolstered.

"But we've had a snag in the mission since we've used up an unnecessary amount of fuel cells in our detours." Amy explained while calming down Sonic.

"Then its no problem to get you two recharged." said Knuckles. "We'll keep you guys here for the night and you can leave anytime tomorrow." said Knuckles. The Freedom Fighters easily conceded with that plan and were lead to the rooms of the palace and shown to their beds. They rested up for the night and refueled their fuel cell packs. The sun had rose on the surface and was inching its way onto the shores of Angel Island.

The Freedom Fighters were packed up and ready to leave with Knuckles and Julie-Su saying goodbye's within the throne room.

"Hey Sonic." Knuckles called as he approached.

"Whats up Knux?" Sonic questioned.

"I wanna give you this." said Knuckles as he formed a bowl with his hands. There was a collection of light gathering in his palms that was a light blue and then instantly the famous and elusive jewel was before Sonic's chest.

"The Chaotix found the Blue Chaos Emerald a couple of weeks ago and I hadn't planned on hunting down the other five so I kept it. But I think you can do something with it." Knuckles concluded.

"It's just as I remember it." said Sonic taking the jewel with both hands. He performed the same action as Knuckles as the Emerald disappeared within his natural chaos energy.

"That makes our emerald count an even better two. We should head to Robotropolis immediately." Tails commanded.

"Always in a hurry, you haven't changed a bit." said Knuckles while tussling Tails' hair.

Sonic grew visibly jealous but masked it with his impatience.

"We can go anytime ya know." stated Sonic. The Freedom Fighters say their final goodbyes and blast from the palace. They travel out of the village and head north toward the greater forest Angel Islanders called Mushroom hill. It was where huge mushrooms had sprouted with in dark green plantations. They sprung off of the mushrooms and through loops that the vine had created. Sonic was reverting back to his roots once he bounced off the first mushroom and into a hollowed out fallen tree. He blasted from the hole and into the air as he slowly opened his eye to see a black hedgehog passing him on the left.

They stared each other in the eye as they ascended and descended.

The black hedgehog quickly landed and turned around with his fingers ready to snap.

"Chaos Snap!" yelled the black hedgehog.

Sonic felt his body surge as his immediate surroundings flashed white with after colors of magenta and periwinkle.

"Sonic!" yelled Amy. The others had stopped right in front of the black hedgehog as he rose to put his chest out and cross his arms. Each of the Freedom Fighters knew who this guy was and had turned on their drive to fight. Tails stepped forward in front of his team and got six feet within the black hedgehog's already staggering range. Tails' fur started trickling with electricity as he started to gather his fury.

"Shadow the Hedgehog." Tails named.

"This time you will die!" Shadow simply stated.


	6. I Found You Faker!

Shadow clapped his hands as he flashed white with magenta and periwinkle energy after effects. The Freedom Fighters were thrown off of the large mushroom they were on by the sheer kinetic force. Tails was the only one standing before Shadow undisturbed by Shadow's attacks.

"Shall we?" asked Shadow.

"Your move!" Tails shot back. Shadow smirked and was gone in an instant.

"Chaos Control!" thought Tails. He turned around while letting his fur surge even more. He searched for Shadow with all of his senses – especially his nose. His electricity spiked to his right sight as he blasted a bolt that way.

Nothing.

Shadow appeared on Tails' left and tackled him off the mushroom and onto a hill.

"Tails!" yelled Amy's shrill voice. "We're coming!"

Shadow and Tails broke apart and landed perfectly on a pulley machine. The machine was used to hoist oneself when they put their weight down on it. Tails and Shadow traded powerful surges of electricity and kinetic energy. Tails spun kick for Shadows head but he ducked and sweep kicked toward Tails feet. Tails jumped and spun and released on of his attacks.

"Tail Sphere!" he thought.

Tails landed forcing out a thin layer of electricity in a sphere around him. Shadow was pushed to the edges of the machine as a white light scanned from the front of his body to his back while fading to red. Once it turned red it was sent back towards Shadow's hands.

"Shadow's Revenge!" he thought. A wall of white energy was forced from Shadow's hands that slammed into an unexpected Tails. He was thrown off the pulley and caught by Rotor. Bunnie Rabbot flew up to the pulley and unleashed her attack. Her arm had transformed into a multi-purpose gun which aimed directly at Shadow.

"Gotcha ya li'l…" she said before the sound of bullets overwhelmed the area.

"Shadow Phase." thought Shadow.

The bullets pass through him as he sets his sights towards Bunnie. He leapt off the pulley and readied a Chaos Snap for the rabbit. Amy had leapt up and pushed Bunnie out of the way with her hammer in between her and Shadow.

"Chaos Snap!" thought Shadow. The energy didn't explode but made a small flash against her hammer. Shadow hadn't planned on that to happen and was slammed hard with Amy's hammer.

"Good one sugah!" yelled Bunnie. Shadow had landed on the ground perfectly as Rotor took the big gun off of his shoulder and steadied his ammunition. A Rocket launched from the barrel as Shadow smiled. He lifted one finger and let the missile get close.

"Chaos Control!" he thought. Tails grabbed Rotor at speeds near Mach one and took him from the explosion that just occurred where he was. Shadow was had just reentered from Chaos Control when Bunnie's hand had clutched his throat through the smoke. Shadow tried to pry it loose but was sent reeling back toward Bunnie.

"Now or never girl!" Bunnie shouted. Amy was right next to her with her fist coming straight for Shadow's head.

"Shadow's Veil!" he thought. He turned pitch black and disappeared right within Bunnie's clutches.

"Where'd he go?" asked Amy. Bunnie slammed her metallic hand against Amy's jaw and sent her reeling into a tree. Bunnie leapt up onto the shaded branches above and switched her arm to a Gatling gun attachment.

"Help me!" Bunnie cried still mentally normal.

She set her sights on Tails and started firing away.

"Magna Fox: Repel!" thought Tails.

The bullets stopped in mid flight before Tails' invisible magnetic shield. Bunnie ceased her gunfire and switched to a laser attachment.

"Rotor!" Tails called.

I'm on it!" he replied. Rotor stepped in front of Tails and accessed his belt. An energy shield emerged around as he took out the small burst pistols on his belt and took aim. Bunnie's laser fired but did no damage against the shield. Rotor hit the trigger and shredded the branch she was on in a matter of milliseconds. Bunnie was thrown to the ground when Tails slammed his hand on her shadow.

Nothing.

He looked up to the tree to see Shadow clinging against it.

"Taking control of my teammates now?" Tails questioned.

"Tell them to stand back and it won't happen." Shadow said leaping toward the branches above. He sprang from branch to branch and looked to see his follower, Tails holding his wrist and finger pointed like a gun.

"You can try to hit me with that!" Shadow announced.

Before Tails extended finger was a small ball of electricity compressing the surges coming from Tails' body.

"Lightning's Tail." thought Tails.

Amy appeared next to Shadow without even making a sound. Shadow glared at her before attempting to make a getaway.

"No you don't!" Amy yelled just before clutching his wrist.

"Roses Thorn!" she yelled. Her fist melded with Shadow's face and he was sent through the tree and down into a trickling stream. The water splashed upward with Shadow on the riverbank.

"This is the end!" Shadow said rising and adjusting his jaw.

Rotor whipped his burst pistols out and started firing at a now invincible Shadow. His body was glowing with flame like red aura. He was approaching Rotor by a mere walk but the walrus was easing back with apparent haste.

"Chaos… Blast!" yelled Shadow after rising in the air. A field of red instantly engulfed a section of Mushroom Hill. Rotor lay lifeless on the ground as Shadow stood over him. He took one of his pistols and checked the bullets in it. He kept it at his side when Bunnie Rabbot flew in from the left firing her Gatling gun. Shadow instantly reacted with a single press of the trigger and nearly mutilating the left side of Bunnie's torso. She hit the forest floor hard as Shadow was towering over her with the gun.

"Roses Bloom!" thought Amy as she ran toward Shadow. The Black hedgehog fired the gun but the bullets merely bounced off of her dense pink quills. Shadow grew wide-eyed and used a Chaos Control to evade. Amy was alone for the moment as Tails was in a tree charging his Lightning's Tail attack. Shadow reappeared with his fingers ready to snap toward Amy.

"Chaos…" he thought. Sonic slammed into Shadow as Amy turned around.

"Who is that guy?!" Sonic asked getting serious.

"That's Shadow." said Amy

Tails sighed as he withdrew his attack.

"Watch out!" said Sonic pushing Amy away. Sonic ducked and uppercut the reemerging Shadow. Shadow did a backflip and landed before the blue blur.

"I found you… faker!" Sonic stated.

"Faker? I think you're the fake hedgehog around here! You're comparing yourself to me? Ha you're not even good enough to be my fake."

"I'll make you eat those words." Sonic commanded, "Sonic Gust."

Sonic blasted off and smashed into the unprepared Shadow. He was moving at speeds he recognized as impossible. Everything around Shadow was a blur but then it became a sharp again once he slammed into a huge tree. This blue hedgehog before him was a new adversary one he hadn't seen before. Were the Freedom Fighters harboring a secret weapon?

Shadow leapt from the tree and right into a Chaos Control. Sonic smiled and vanished only using his natural speed.

"Sonic Tornado!" he yelled as the wind threw Shadow into the air. He caught a small glimpse of what was below him and saw the entire Angel Island. His heart was racing from the breakneck speeds that were being imbued upon him.

"Sonic Wind!" yelled the blue hedgehog. He was standing on the same rock way underneath the airborne Shadow with the wind curling around him. It was a light blue color as it swirled at Sonic's feet. Then it just shot up as if to slice Shadow. The black hedgehog lifelessly tumbled through air and slammed on a nearby mushroom. He looked up at the towering figure and asked a simple question.

"Who are you?" asked Shadow.

"I'm Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog." he stated.

Shadow remembered the one who had defeated him and stated another command.

"Chaos Return!" he said aloud. Shadow blinked white three times and then vanished in a poof of black smoke.

"Sonic, that was… amazing…" said an astonished Amy with Tails just behind her. Sonic smiled but quickly saw Rotor and Bunnie being carried by his teammates.

"We need to go back to the echidna village." said Tails.

A couple hours later Tails, Amy, and Sonic were outside of the surgery ward along with King and Queen of the village.

"Don't worry they will be taken care of." said Julie-Su enveloping Amy in a warm hug. She was misting tears from her eyes as Sonic and Tails stood close by.

"You showed me what you're capable of today, Sonic." Tails started. "Being able to handle Shadow nearly balances out all your… other qualities. But as fast you are you always show up too late. Make sure you fix that."

Sonic nodded not really wanting to talk.

"Listen to me Sonic, If you're going to go any further on this mission then get serious and stop acting like a child." Tails disciplined.

"Your teammates," started a calm hedgehog, "No, your friends we're nearly killed and all you can think of is the mission. If this is what growing up is then I don't want any part of it."

Sonic walked off and embraced Amy as the doctor came out.

"We have them stabilized, they're going to be just fine." said the echidna doctor. "But we will have to keep them here if any thing goes wrong. You can see them now if you wish."

"Thanks doc." Amy granted. He returned back into the room with everyone but Tails following. The fox relished in Sonic's words and grew a little angered.

"I hate it when he's right." Tails whispered. He entered into the room and gave his condolences to his mates.

The Freedom Fighters spend another night in the confines of the castle listening to Knuckles stories and hearing tales from their heresy. They fall asleep and rest up in the comfy beds of the palace to feel refreshed in the morning. They pack up and get prepared for their journey to north when the King and Queen enter the throne room.

"Oh! There you are King and Master, I was just about to find you and tell you were about to leave." Amy explained.

"Good 'cause I'm ready now." said Knuckles slipping on a backpack.

"Say what?" Sonic questioned.

"Knuckles is acting in Rotor's place as part of the mission." Tails explained.

"So the spoiled king wants to get some fresh air huh?" Sonic questioned

"Oh this is so great! Is Master coming along too?" asked Amy

"Sorry pupil but somebody's gotta stay here and watch the kingdom." Julie-Su stated with much resentment.

"Sorry Jules but you lost the rock, paper, scissors, match fair and square." Knuckles said with a bit of glee.

"I always lose at that stupid game!" Julie said to herself while crossing her arms.

"So who's acting in Bunnie's place?" asked Amy.

"I've got the perfect person, if we can catch her in time." said Knuckles.

"As long as it's not that home wrecker!" Julie-Su blurted out on accident.

"Relax it's not her." said Knuckles.

"So where are we headed then? 'Cause we were just going north." Amy asked and commented.

"Espio sent me a transmission this morning saying there is a weak spot near the casino zone beyond the bingo highway. We can see what were dealing with there." explained Knuckles.

"Then it's decided. Let's go." Tails commanded.

"Bye Honey, and make sure you apply that cream every night okay." Jules yelled.

"Cream?" Sonic questioned.

"That wife of mine, I'm gonna kill her when I get back." mumbled Knuckles as the others sped off.


	7. We're in RoboCountry

The Freedom Fighters had made their way to the beaches of West Side Island - the second isle Sonic passed through on one of his first adventures. This was the place where a former civilization once used the emeralds to advance themselves technologically but the emeralds proved too powerful and wiped their existence from Mobius. The Xorda alien race then came and wiped out the human – or overlander – race and essentially changed the emeralds forever. It was the place where Robotnik was further developing his Death Egg – which no one to this day knows what it did.

It was also the place where Sonic and Tails met.

The Freedom Fighters had rested a bit from a long days journey and rose alongside the sun to begin their quest to the casino district of the island. The fastest way there was a hike over Emerald Hill, holding ones breathe through the Chemical Plant, a quick dip through Aquatic Ruins, and finally arriving in the hub of the casino district. They plant their feet on the grass as Sonic begins to stretch.

"Man this place brings back memories." said Sonic looking at Tails specifically.

"Really what happened here?" asked Amy.

"I'm glad you asked Amy Rose." Sonic said while tapping her on the nose.

"This is the place where--" Sonic started.

"Let's get this over with!" Tails shot out. He started walking and then built to a run across the hill.

"C'mon we can walk and talk." said Sonic. He blasted off leaving Amy and Knuckles at the coast.

"Oh that Sonic!" Amy steamed. "I'm gonna pulverize him!"

Amy looked back at Knuckles who was also taking in the sights. His eyes were closed and the air was fresh under his sniffing nose.

"What's up Knuckles?" asked Amy.

"This place really is nostalgic." stated Knuckles. "I came here after I met Sonic and Tails and traveled around. Sonic and Tails both held this place highly when they were best friends six years ago. They said it has the power to bring your friends closer."

"Power?"

"Of course I mean the emeralds but I don't know… lately I'm starting not to think that."

"Okay." Amy said sounding skeptical. She brushes her hair a little and thinks to herself. "Why does he always come off as strange when I ask him about something."

"See ya Amy!" yelled a retreating Knuckles. He was barely visible on the horizon.

"Ugh! Knuckles!" yelled Amy dashing after them.

Loops and spirals were all that laced Emerald Hill along with massive flowers and eroded mechanical remains; every mile or so a buzzbomber shell could be spotted on the side of the path. There were huge palm trees and steep hills but it was nothing going at speeds of mach one. The four of them came to a stop at the crest of the hill where a valley was below. It was surrounded by huge mountains and factories within the rock walls.

"I found out that this place had been one of many starting points for Robotnik." stated Tails to Sonic.

"This place and the Scrap Brain Zone on South Island are kind of similar." Sonic replied.

"With this much tech at his disposal no wonder the Death Egg was a huge surprise." Tails added.

"But we stopped that good didn't we buddy." Sonic said while gesturing for a high five.

Tails almost went for it but placed his hand back at his side.

"No." Tails whispered. He wrapped his tails around themselves and released them in propeller like fashion.

"Wait Tails." Sonic said.

"Were not friends again Sonic, so stop talking to me like we are!" yelled Tails.

"Where do you get off saying stuff like that?" asked Sonic. Tails soared higher into the sky and was gone in a matter of seconds within the fog above the valley.

"Ugh… that kid!" Sonic uttered before charging up to run off.

Amy clutched his shoulder and held him back.

"Let him be." said Knuckles.

"No I know that fox better than anyone, he's like a little brother!" Sonic stated.

"See that's your problem spike ball! You're always condescending to him! He needs to be treated like an equal."

Knuckles purposely brushed past him and stood atop the mountain top.

"C'mon Amy." commanded Knuckles.

"Coming." she replied while creeping past an agitated Sonic. The echidna and lady hedgehog dropped off the mountain and sped into the chemical plant. Quickly after Sonic ran after his team and sped through the plant. There were abandoned liquid tubes and broken gateways and odd mechanisms stationed in the area. The blue liquid held within occupied tubes was one of many fuel systems Robotnik had used in his robots and machines. Now it was stale and outdated waste that made the whole place reek. The trio passed through the plant in a hurry and came to the familiar end of the plant. There was a breach in the factory's wall where Robotnik had escaped from humiliating defeat. Knuckles, Amy and Sonic passed through the hole and dropped into the mountain side where Ancient Ruins of the lost civilization had been discovered. It was a sight to behold if not for the eroding waters. The beauty of the area had been tarnished from the rising waters of the Aquatic Ruins.

"I gotta surface run across these waters if I'm gonna catch up to Tails." said Sonic backing up. You guys better grab on!" Sonic stated while reaching for their hands.

"I don't do the holding hands thing I'll go solo from here." Knuckles replied. "Meet you in ten."

Knuckles leapt into the air with flames encircling his hands.

"Flame Claw!" he yelled. He slammed his hand into upper arch of the ruins and torched the inner ground to a crisp. He held onto the side of the arch as dirt and ash fell out of the hole. He swung in the hole after the debris subsided and wasn't seen again. The ruins started to shake from Knuckles' tremors and columns started to fall.

"There he goes." said Sonic. "C'mon Amy hold on tight."

"But I can run… I mean I've been practicing and…" Amy reasoned.

"I know Amy but I don't want anything happening to you." Sonic replied. Amy blushed before she was in Sonic's arms and going at speeds over 700mph. They blasted across the water dodging columns and falling archways while gaining speed. Sonic was a natural at his terrifying speed but Amy was holding in loud yelps. She clinched Sonic's arms tighter as he sped up. Sonic smirked a bit as he turned down his speed a little but it didn't help that the roof collapsed and was coming down fast.

"Sonic! Throw me to that column!" Amy commanded.

"But…" Sonic tried.

"Do it!" she yelled. Sonic leapt into the air and grabbed Amy's hand. They spun around endlessly until Amy was tossed ahead at unknown speeds.

"Rose's Thorn!" she yelled. Her fist slammed into the column and then she catapulted off of it onto the one cater-corner to it. The columns were coming down in correct fashion to hold up the roof as Sonic easily traveled the water. Amy was too far ahead though at Sonic's current speed.

"Sonic Gust!" he yelled. The wind around his body formed into a light blue arrow and he became even more aerodynamic and blasted across the water. He caught a falling Amy and proceeded into a hallway breaking apart fallen stone and eventually up through the mountain. They emerged from a short jungle and onto a cliff that overlooked a region of that abandoned city. The casino district was huge and bright and had many different clubs and bars. Many animals and creatures came to West Side Island solely for the gambling pleasure and wild lifestyle.

"Flame Claw!" yelled a muffled voice.

A hole was blasted out of the ground with flames close by. Knuckles reared his head out of the hole and brushed himself off.

"We win!" Sonic said.

"Anything from Tails?" asked Knuckles.

"Actually I just got here." he said dropping from the sky. "The Sky Chase has changed since my last time here."

"Yeah I noticed something new too. I didn't know this place had Hidden Palace." Knuckles informed. "But anyway we're getting close to our replacement. She should be in the core of the city."

"So who is this mystery girl Knux?" asked Amy. "Is she another echidna?"

"You'll see." he said.

"Then let's quit wasting time. The sooner we get into Robotropolis, the better." Tails commanded. They progressed down into the district and traveled the streets past many casinos. There were a lot of animals playing the slots and gaining or wasting money. They continued down a street until they came up to a pretty hopping club. The music was loud and the lights were shooting from the rooftop. The Freedom Fighters went up to the front of the line and approached the Bloodhound dog bouncers.

"We're VIP. Name's Knuckles of Angel Island." he explained. "These guys are with me."

"Welcome back, King, and friends" he stated while unlocking the velvet rope and pushing the door open.

They enter through the dancing animals and past the colorful bar. Scantily clad animals were dancing across the floor and some paid dancers were in cages up above. The club looked like a hollowed out cave with fog creeping along the floor. Knuckles led them past all of this and behind the bar were another bouncer guarded another velvet rope. He introduced himself again and they were let past the rope and up their red carpeted stairs. Knuckles pushed open the door and saw the clubs owner admiring a huge jewel within her hands.

"I thought I'd saw you walking through my club." said her smooth sexy voice. She was a grown woman with loads of sex appeal that had never worked on the red echidna. The King approached the desk and slammed his hands on the desk.

"You're coming with us, Rouge!" he demanded.

"Rouge!" yelled Sonic and Amy. Amy ran from the doorway and hugged her friend.

"Easy li'l lady this is a designer bra I'm wearing don't mess it up." Rouge complained. She stood from the desk as Sonic glanced her over. She had short white hair with purple highlights held between her bat ears. Her eyes were big and appealing with lipstick across her lips. She wore a tight long-sleeved shirt but with no torso on it. It exposed her flat stomach and ample breasts. They were covered with –apparently – an expensive heart shaped bra. She wore long gloves and white Capri pants with a heart shaped belt across her waist. To top off the seduction she wore high heels that tied in her whole pink, purple, white, black, and grey ensemble.

"Oooh! What's in it for me?" she asked greedily while going back to her jewel.

"Um…" started Sonic, "Who is this chick?" asked Sonic.

"You mean haven't heard of Rouge the Bat, the Casino Zone's best club owner." she stated.

"Nope. Where is she? She sounds pretty cool." Sonic smirked. Rouge turned up her nose.

"Sonic!" Amy complained. "This is Rouge, she's the main one who taught me how to fight and other things…"

"Hmm…" Knuckles said, "I thought you said you wouldn't bother with being a teacher."

"Didn't you say the same about being a King?" asked Rouge staring down Knuckles. "So Tails, what's this really about? I can always get a straight answer from this handsome fox."

"We are on a mission to go into Robotropolis and gather information on Dr. Robotnik. We had to detour from our mission due to Bunnie and Rotor's injuries and picked up Knuckles and eventually you." he explained, "As far as rewards we don't know what there could be but isn't that interest enough for even you?"

"I was sold from the beginning you know, It's been ages since I've had a mission from the president and these jewels are quickly losing my interest. I'll go and make sure this redhead doesn't screw up anything my Tails does."

"Don't you have to go eat some bugs or something?" asked Knuckles.

"I could ask you same thing." said Rouge coming from around the desk. Her wings were large as she slowly brushed them down.

The Freedom Fighters leave the club with Rouge the Bat in their company and head to the front of the city where the edges of Robotropolis started. Going the rear of the city led to the Hill Top but it wasn't necessary since the blunt of the mission had been over. They approach the border and stand before the massive security from east to west. There were huge towers that were as tall as wide. They had reflected lasers to each other to kill off any intruders. There were underground sensors for those able to dig and over head sensors for those with flight capabilities and lasers for those tied to the ground. The Freedom Fighters stand before their first real test against Robotnik – security.

"We could just trip the alarm." said Sonic.

"Not happening Blue, look on top of those towers." Rouge pointed. There were huge gun rail turrets on top of every other tower and ready to fire at any given second.

"So let's take out the turrets!" Sonic yelled.

"No Sonic!" Amy started, "We need to--"

"We're in Robo-country and that makes me itchy! Let's crash some parties!" Sonic yelled. "Sonic Wind!"

Sonic reeled his hand back and charged up the light blue wind in his hand. He lashed out and sliced a tower into shreds knocking down the lasers for two sections. The turrets reacted and aimed for the Fighters when Sonic yelled another one of his abilities.

"Sonic Tornado!" he yelled. Instead of going up as usual Sonic directed his tornado straight and vacuumed his team across the border a couple of miles. They slowed to a halt and still were under a veil of searchlights looking hastily for shade. This side of the planet was under a constant haze from the ongoing pollution and sewage. Robotnik loved his technical marvels so much it would have to be enough to tarnish the world in order to make things work for him. The Freedom Fighters found refuge within a dock of a building and settled there for a second.

"Are you crazy?" whispered Rouge. "You could have got us killed!"

"I can't sit around and wait for things to happen, its already been five years." he said sounding his most serious.

"Sonic? You remember don't you?" asked Amy.

"I'm starting to Amy… this pollution, this destruction; it's the exact opposite of what we strive for. I remember why I am a Freedom Fighter now!"

"That's good." stated Tails rising to his feet. "That's very good."

Sonic looked on dumfounded.

"Now that you've got your drive back lets see what you've got. We're going to take out this swat bot factory here."

"Huh?" said the others while looking at the construct. It was shaped just like the ones they used to take out six years ago. It seems Robotnik hasn't changed a bit either. Inside of these buildings were machines making machines. The swat bots are the small time soldiers of the Robo-Empire. Years ago a simple knock-around would be enough to take them out but maybe Robotnik didn't keep some things the same. The Freedom Fighters open the overhead door they were near snuck into the building. The production line was formidable and there were bots monitoring the computers and exchanging binary in their conversation.

"I have a plan." said Tails.


	8. Jam Back to Knothole!

"So what's the plan Tails?" asked an intrigued Sonic.

"We take this swat bot factory down from the bottom." Tails started. "If it's like most other plants we can take out the main steel frames from a huge shockwave. The things we need to worry about are the security drones which come in packs of five and the roving swat bot patrols that come around every ten minutes."

"Doesn't sound too hard." said Knuckles.

"I've had harder times trying to get Knuckles to understand multiplication." said the new recruit, Rouge.

"I told you bat girl I thought it was a seven!" yelled Knuckles. Sonic pushed the two down as a swat bot flashed his light over.

"Great!" said Tails.

The swat bot was approaching slowly. It had a humanoid form but it looked more like a jet in appearance. It had the legs of a dog as it walked on its toes. Its body was a rounded triangular look with broad shoulders and long arms. Mounted to its back was a jet pack and folded mechanical wings. The new swat bots were definitely no pushovers. It approached the crate and checked behind to see a rat.

"Thunder Tail." thought Tails.

The robot shifted a couple of times and fell over. The other accompanying swat bot rushed over to try and aid his shorted out friend. Up above were the now concealed Freedom Fighters.

"Okay here are the teams." Tails commanded. "Rouge and Knuckles, Sonic and Amy and then myself; each person will--"

"Whoa kid, I cannot work with her and the rest of you will just go to fast for me."

said Knuckles, "I'll stick by myself."

"Not undermining your leading skills or anything like that handsome but I have worked with Amy before. We sort of have the same mindset for stuff like this." Rouge added.

"Then… it's me and the hedgehog then." said Tails.

"It's not like we haven't done it before." said Sonic holding up for a high five.

"Go team." said Tails giving in. "Okay I need Knuckles to provide the structural damage, Amy and Rouge to set the collapsing charges and Sonic and I will provide the distraction."

"Synchronize the ol' watches." started a certain hedgehog, "Okay meet ya at the usual; if anybody's late, jam back to knothole. Check?"

The blue hedgehog lifted his fist to get some sort of assurance from his team. no one took.

"Um… Sonic…" started Amy while putting Sonic's fist down. "I'm afraid your sentence is wrong. Knothole is gone and none of us have watches and we don't have a usual."

"Let's stop going down memory lane and get on with this." said Knuckles becoming irritated.

"Rouge and Amy will sneak up to the top and set the charges I'll make. Sonic and I will then cause a disturbance in the middle floor taking out whatever machinery possible. Thirty seconds after the alarm sounds Knuckles you go into action and take apart the foundation. We all meet at the bottom floor and follow tunnels the King makes; Rouge and Amy will have to hurry if they don't want to be crushed."

"You make it sound so sweet." said Rouge through sarcasm.

"Fox Charge." said Tails. Small electrical balls started appearing before Tails as he guided them into Rouge and Amy's packs.

Knuckles, Amy, and Rouge all drop from the ceiling and split into their directions. Rouge directs Amy to a stairwell while passing underneath surveillance. They make it to the top railing of the third floor and start placing charges. They pressed on the electrical balls as they expanded to the size of a tennis ball. They passed straight through the metal into the core of the steel where it started to loosen up the metal with sheer magnetism. The girls were set as Sonic and Tails dropped from the ceiling.

"You better not fail the team." said Tails.

"You know me better than this Tails, I never fail people who are important to me." Sonic stated.

"I will hold you to that." said Tails leaping away. He landed on the main floor of the factory in between swat-bots, guard-bots, production line, and surveillance cameras.

"Magna Fox: Repel!" he yelled.

The factory machinery all burst away from the center where Tails was. There were several machines ripped from the floor bolts and bots smashed in the force. From the ceiling dropped the backup that surrounded an unready Tails.

"Sonic Wind." thought Sonic. The light blue wind razors tore through the robots before they could even raise their laser equipped right hands. Sonic appeared behind Tails as the alarm sounded.

"Things are going to plan." said Rouge after dropping in. A huge overhead door opened up that poured in the robotic soldiers and even bigger guard-bots.

"Rose's Garden!" yelled Amy. Amy dropped to the ground hands first as the metal flooring jutted spikes toward the metal army. They all clattered against each other and tried stepping out of the way of the huge metal thorns.

Amy was visibly tired as the others started to leave. The sound of a rocket launcher was heard when Sonic turned around.

"Amy!" yelled Sonic.

Sonic appeared in front of Amy and faced the rocket.

"Sonic Tornado!" he yelled. A small tornado appeared in front of the blue blur as the rocket was caught in its torrents. It whipped around a couple of times when it tail spun out of the wind into the remains of the metal army. Amy recovered and ran off with Sonic when The building literally shifted.

Knuckles had tore through multiple steel bearings and was focusing on the final knockdown. He slammed his hands on the ground as fire erupted through the metal floor coverings. It shimmied over to the enflamed steel as it sent superheated flames through the core of the steel. The charges placed by the girls had pushed the steel into hollow pipes. The superheated flames instantly made the metal as malleable as aluminum which caused the building to outweigh itself and collapse. The Freedom Fighters had successfully escaped in tact through the tunnel Knuckles had created.

"We are successful." said Tails with a bit of glee.

"So what do we do now?" asked Rouge.

"Yeah I mean, taking out a swat-bot factory in the past took all-day planning, but now we just decided to do it on a whim." said Knuckles.

"Tell me about it; those meetings were putting me into snores-ville." said Sonic.

"What we can do now is head deeper into the core of Robotropolis. We need to figure out how to access different routes in this place." said Tails. Knuckles blasted open another section of the tunnel way when it came to an abrupt halt.

"Metal." Amy said joyously. She approached the metal while reciting Roses Thorn in her head. She clutched the metal as it crunched under her grip. It tore open revealing remains of old Robotropolis.

"He's building upon himself." said Knuckles. "I recognize these passageways from long ago. We can use these tunnels to get to one of the old hubs."

"The hubs are a big swat-bot directory we can go there and gather information, maps, and details on his latest projects." said Tails,

"Or we could infiltrate into the central command and kill a few generators." said Rouge.

"I wouldn't mind writing off a few swat-bot factories." said Knuckles.

"I'm with the King." said Amy.

Sonic crossed his arms and tapped his foot to get the attention back onto him.

"Ya know I'm all for freedom of choice and everything but wasn't the mission to go, you know find this Robotnik guy?" said Sonic.

"This Robotnik guy?" questioned Amy.

"You sound like you don't the remember the Eggman himself." added Knuckles.

"Uh…" Sonic stated while stepping back.

"Sonic, please tell us you do." said Rouge getting interested.

"Not really." stated Sonic.

The Freedom Fighters took a step back.

"So you've been deceiving me this whole time." said Tails.

"Its not deception, kid. I just can't remember. None of this is a reminder. Not the funky looking tunnels, or the weirdo factory, or the death-delivering gates. This isn't what I remember five years ago. Everything has changed and left me in the dark. My best friend hates me, the girl I loved is married, and everyone has moved on without me." Sonic sat down. Tails clutched Sonic by the throat and made him look into his eyes.

"This is exactly why I don't want you here." Tails started.

"Tails, No!" Amy yelled. She grabbed onto Tails and tried to pry him off.

"You get this close and then you fall short." Tails went on. "You think you're the only one left in the dark. I had to lead my people out of the pan and into the fire numerous times without anybody's help. You think I'm gonna show you mercy because your stressed. I'm stressed! But if this is what you are after five years then I don't want anything to do with you. From now on we are enemies."

Tails held up Sonic as electricity started to flow from his shoulder. It reached his hand when Knuckles broke it apart.

"Walk!" the King commanded. Tails didn't back down.

"Don't make me say it again fox!" said the echidna. Tails turned around briskly, letting his Tails slap against Knuckles' face as he continued.

"We will split up." said Knuckles gathering the reins of leadership. Amy and Rouge will go with Sonic to the swat-bot traffic control. Tails and I will go to central command and assist you from there. We meet back here when it's done."

The three fighters for freedom ducked underneath an overpass as they approach a wide circular building. There were small square windows at the rim and no roof to the structure either. The contents of the building were underground where a huge dome was.

"I'm going to go break the security on this building while you two disable the controls." said Rouge while standing up.

"We will go in shortly, master." Amy replied.

Rouge quickly ran off past a pile of junk when Amy turned toward an ashamed hedgehog.

"Sonic?" Amy started.

"I don't want to talk." Sonic said.

Amy almost took the statement but refused to hear it.

"Sonic I know things aren't the same and they will never be but, I think you woke up at this time, at this place, for a reason, now we can finally fight back. Do you know how long it's been since we've taken out a swat-bot factory like that? It's been three-years. And we lost a lot of Freedom Fighters that day, but now look where we are.

"And as far as Tails is concerned, he has been through so much without you. He has grown up and refuses to accept you as anything right now and it's a horrible thing to hear but deep down he always wants acceptance. He told me about a year ago that he missed you and wished you a safe awakening. He still has that love for you, that brotherly bond which no one can take away.

"And with Queen Sally…"

"Enough Amy!" Sonic said sounding more stern. Amy grabbed Sonic's shoulder and spun him around. She laid a kiss on him that she had been wanting for years. She crawled over him gave him the best her lips had to offer.

Sonic didn't refuse.

Sonic returned the kiss as Amy slowly backed up.

"Forget about Sally." she said while holding him at shoulders length. She pecked Sonic on the lips again and then rose to her feet. She started heading for the building as Sonic was still on the ground.

"Sally who?" Sonic thought to himself, "Amy is… unpredictable."

Sonic rose to his feet and brushed off his white shorts. He went in after Amy as they perched atop the building. Amy gestured to drop in and they did so. They landed onto a rail way which quickly led to the dome structure. Underneath the prominent dome was a small control panel. The closer they got the more they realized Rouge had completed her mission and would be back soon.

Amy tickled the computer keys and input a hacking code that Sally had taught her. It opened up a hidden options screen for the computer as Amy clicked the Emergency disable button. The dome instantly powered down and halted all communications with swat-bot trafficking.

"Amy, about Tails, he doesn't really hate me does he?" asked Sonic.

"I think you need to ask him that yourself."

"Well I know you don't hate me." said Sonic before turning his back on Amy and walking away slightly. "Where's Rouge at?"

"She said she would meet back up with us." said Amy.

"I've got a hunch." said Sonic. "Check the last few messages on that computer."

Amy pulled the computer back and went into the transcripts of the computer.

"Transferring supplies from warehouse B-14-HU0 to warehouse A-97-CR2. Transporting Oil from Rig District to Deposit 1456782OLK. Sending Intruder from SB Traffic Control to Roboticizer building 39." read Amy. "They've got Rouge!"

_**In the next Sonic 51: See the resolution you've been awaiting for eight stories. Sonic and Tails reach their boiling point. We go back to check out things in New Mobotropolis and Cream returns to settle her score. And Shadow makes his return!!!**_

_**Extended issue Sonic 51 #9.**_


	9. Everybody Stand Back!

Sonic and Amy had found the Roboticizer building 39 on the map. They used tunnel after tunnel to make their envoy there but it was still a ways away.

"I can't stay cooped up in here, I have to get Rouge out of here." Sonic exclaimed visibly frustrated.

"Sonic don't stress yourself." Amy pleaded, "you can--"

"I can't Amy, the last time someone was sent to the roboticizer, I didn't get them out in time. And now Bunnie has to live with my mistake. And Sally had been captured and faced robotization, but through blind luck did she escape." Sonic explained. "Everyone but me is suffering my mistakes which are too many to count. I'm not going to play this one by the rules. Sonic Tornado!"

The blue hedgehog erupted into the grey polluted sky. He could see Robotropolis for miles – All covered by machines and pollution. He looked into the city schematic further and saw what Amy pointed out on the map.

"Sonic! Oh that spiky-haired…" Amy mumbled as she ran off into the tunnel.

"Sonic Gust." he thought. He launched down toward building 39 with the wind shaped into an arrow. He smashed into the metal siding and burst through it cleanly. Sonic tumbled through empty halls with empty jail cells on the right. There wasn't much of a need for jail since the roboticizer became online twenty years ago. These were just holding cells until the roboticizer and its workers were ready. Swat-bots rolled onto the floor and took aim at the blue hog. Their lasers fired and nullified against the cement flooring. Next thing they knew they were on the ground and dismantled from a Sonic Wind attack. Sonic found a directory on the wall where the roboticizing room was. He was going to check there for Rouge and span his way around the holding cells. He made tight turns and edged corners at lightning fast speed when he got to the rooms entry way.

"Sonic!" yelled Rouge while detained within a thick Plexiglas tube. She banged on it as Sonic noticed the swat-bot about to throw the switch.

The swat-bot stared at Sonic for what seemed like for ever and hit the switch anyway. A blue light started to shine from the top of the tube as Rouge looked. It flashed a couple of times when it stopped in its progress. Sonic stood alone in the room with mangled swat-bots around the floor. He pressed a button on the control panel and got Rouge from within the glass.

"Thanks hun, you really know how to sweep a girl off of her feet." Rouge said after a kiss on Sonic's cheek.

"You're wrong, I failed." said Sonic while reaching for Rouge's hair.

A single lock had been clipped by the roboticizer making it a strand of metal and plastic. Rouge clutched it as she looked into the tubes glare.

"Master are you okay?" asked Amy entering the room following the sounds of her hammer clashes.

"Sonic got me out in time but they managed to get a piece of me." said Rouge nonchalantly. She didn't care if she had been graced she just wanted her freedom.

"It looks cute!" said Amy complimenting Rouge's new hair accessory. "Now you and Julie-Su are sisters."

"Spare me the agony, child." Rouge began.

"You sure you're okay with this?" Sonic chimed in.

"I'm fine, all I ask is that we get away from this place. And you owe me big time hedgehog; I'm talking a huge gem the size of both your heads."

"Nicole." said the Queen walking into a laboratory. The holorealmatic lynx was in the center of a huge glass room. Above and below her were huge sensors that were in sync with Nicole's mind. The Queen stood outside of the glass and felt the slickness when another image appeared behind her.

"I'm sorry I didn't come when you called earlier." Nicole stated.

"It's fine I'd rather talk to you here anyway." said Sally.

"Then what are you here to discuss." said Nicole.

"I want to know how the mission is going with Sonic and the Freedom Fighters." she asked.

"I am not able to personally visit them without putting New Mobotropolis in danger." started Nicole as Sally grew saddened. "But I will see what calls I can make in order to reach them. I'm sure Bunnie has her communications systems on this time."

"Thank you Nicole." started Sally. "You are the only one I can trust with my requests recently."

"Recently?" asked Nicole.

"Yes, I fear something is going on within the politics of New Mobotropolis. There is talk among the advisory that kingdom power should be set aside and a council to take its place.

"History books tell us that in order to change or alter governmental stability something unstable must happen."

"I also think many of the subjects are planning a coup d'état to overthrow King St. John and I."

"Corruption among the clean is never good." said Nicole guessing to what Sally is to say next.

"I want you to record conversations within and around the palace to pinpoint the actions of this suspected rebellion." Sally demanded.

"But what about the laws I am tied to." asked Nicole.

"That's the reason I'm here, I'm breaking some of your moral ethics data to fulfill this assignment for me." Sally explained.

"I am forever loyal to the Acorn Crown." said Nicole. "I will take this information to the recycling bin if I have to."

"Thank you Nicole." Sally granted.

"We have a visitor." Nicole started. "Be ready for attacks from both sides." The Lynx blinked away and then appeared at the city's northern gate. She awaited the visitor who was on the edge of the horizon and slowly closing in. It was a single creature with three flying companions above her shoulders. By way of a long walk she stopped in front of Nicole and gave that same annoyed look.

"I need a place to stay." said Cream.

"Go back into standby mode." said Nicole to her other clones stationed at the city's defenses. The Nicole standing at the gate, however, stepped to the side and showed the young rabbit in.

"I will direct you to your quarters." said Nicole.

"Ya know Tails," started Knuckles. "You shouldn't be too hard on Sonic. He's had it rough the past couple of days."

Tails was silent.

They were walking the underground tunnels back to the meeting place from Central Command. There they faced to much security to mount any type of attack with their lives not being in jeopardy. So they stopped to think about things and decided to turn back.

"Tails! Are you going to say anything?" asked Knuckles while clutching his shoulder.

"No." said Tails. "Why should I?"

"The guy took you in and gave you shelter. You would still be on West Island if not for him. He trained you, made you his brother and now you spit in his face."

"And then he leaves me! I had to protect the Knothole, I had to fight off Shadow, I have to deal with Robotnik. How am I supposed to take all of this on at once?!" Tails exclaimed.

"Because…" started Knuckles, "He thought you were strong enough."

"You're giving that hog too much credit." Tails brushed off. They approached the meeting place and found the other three there waiting impatiently.

"Bout time you guys got back." started Sonic, "It's juice and jam time now!"

"Yeah!" started Amy, "Rouge figured out to disable the swat-bot hover traffic which increases our chances of surface walking to 60 percent.

"Rouge." started Knuckles, "You've got a piece of junk in your hair. What'd you do? Go trash diving?"

"Umm… funny story ya see." Rouge started.

"What happened?" asked Tails.

"Well what had happened was…" Rouge started.

"It was the hedgehog wasn't it?" Tails suspected.

"No no, it wasn't his fault!" Rouge went on.

Tails went to clutch Sonic by his throat when he quickly moved out of the way.

"You got Rouge roboticized!?" Tails erupted with electricity sparking from his golden fur.

"She said she's okay with it and Rouge is fine after all." Sonic reasoned.

Tails lashed out a huge surge of electricity and shot at where Sonic used to be.

"Bout time!" Sonic said taking command of the battle. "Everybody stand back! Nobody try to help me!"

"Sonic… Tails… no." Amy uttered.

"The mission is off. Everyone return home except you hedgehog." commanded Tails.

"You can't do this Miles!" yelled Knuckles backing Tails away from Sonic.

"If you get in my way I will kill you too." Tails bluntly stated. Knuckles clinched his fist and started to raise it but looked back into Sonic's eyes.

"Get out of here Knux, I'll be fine." said Sonic.

Sonic and Tails appeared on the surface of Robotropolis grounds underneath a blanket of pollution. The setting was near perfect to Sonic and Tails. Their relationship had become jumbled and mixed up. It came down to a trading of blows to bring out their true nature.

Sonic had known this since he saw Tails after his coma.

"Before we do this Miles, I need to know." Sonic started before wiping his eyes of tears. He was about to fight his best friend. "Do you hate me?"

Tails smiled and surged his electricity.

"No." said Tails.

Shadow landed on top of the highway bridge mounts and overlooked Station Square. This was the first place he went after Robotnik released him into the world. now that that wish has been fulfilled Shadow could do what he wanted. His thirst for power has made him into a formidable warrior and even more dangerous ally. He stood holding his only two Chaos Emeralds in his hands. Their beauty never ceased to amaze him because of the hidden amounts of power within their crystal exterior. He channeled his Chaos Energy and stored them within that invisible force.

"I need to find the other five." Shadow thought. "I know Knuckles and Tails, each have one but they are traveling together now. I need a new approach to gather the other unknown four."

Shadow slid down the bridges cables and started to progress down the highway. He stopped in the middle of the road and looked both ways.

"Where is this guy?" he thought.

A car was seen in the distance as swiftly pulled up to Shadow. An anthropomorphic hawk got out of the backseat and pulled a package from his wayside.

"I'm sorry you weren't able to meet him in person since he is a busy man but rest assured you will speak with him." the hawk reassured while handing Shadow the package. The hawk scampered over to the car and back into his seat.

"This meeting never happened." the hawk demanded before shutting the car door.

Shadow mugged the car as it slowly got onto the road.

"Chaos Snap!" he thought. The car's left quarter exploded with Chaos energy and flipped over the low point of the bridges dipping cables. It smashed into the water extinguishing the small flames on the car. Shadow turned the other way and continued walking while opening the package. He ripped the small box open when a phone slid from the inside. He opened it and searched the contacts to see only a name available. He selected the call button and shortly after a deep monotone voice answered.

"Good to hear from you shadow." the contact greeted.

"I hear you can get me more Chaos Emeralds." started Shadow.

"You can get them when you complete your assignments."

"I told you I only work for me." Shadow shot back.

"Then I guess these emeralds will just sit here and collect dust. You've wasted my time." said the contact while inching his phone away.

"Wait." began Shadow. "What do I have to do?"

"Good." said the other. "I need you to be completely loyal if I can trust you."

"You can trust me."

"Good. You will receive your assignment in one hour. Make your way to the remains of the Great Forest and await a phone call. And thanks for saving me the trouble of killing my messenger; bullets are so expensive these days."

Shadow cringed from his words as the contact hung up. He clamped down on the phone just before putting it into his pocket. The black hedgehog walked still in the night just before he vanished by means of Chaos Control.

"So Shadow is the one responsible for your home damages." started Queen Sally.

"Yes your highness, My chao and I are in need of shelter and this is the only I could turn to." Cream explained.

"Don't worry Cream, I'll make sure New Mobotropolis makes you feel at home."

"Thank you Queen Sally. You have shown me the same respect and kindness that I truly need." Cream said with a bow.

"I want all people under my rule to be treated as such.

"Don't you mean my rule?" asked Geoffrey St. John, King of New Mobotropolis.

"Yes My lord, I meant your rule, even though I had been the princess for so long." Sally shot back with a little sarcasm. The King laughed.

"You're always cuter with an angered look across your brow." Geoffrey stated while caressing her arm. Sally batted him away.

"Thanks, Cream, come back if you need anything else." said Sally. Cream exited the palace when Sally confronted the King.

"Why can't you stop acting like a love-hungry skunk and straighten up?" asked an annoyed Sally.

"Well why can't you stop trying to undermine my authority and give Nicole ethical freedom?" he countered.

Sally pressed back into her chair. The King got up from his and started to put his hands at his back.

"I can't let you do this to me in these troubling times darling." he started, "I know you fear rebellion at the door and to be honest I do too. Don't bring Nicole into this; she is the city's sole protector, if the public were to find out…"

"Yeah I know she could face deactivation." Sally recited.

"What has gotten into you as of late." started Geoffrey.

"There have just been rumors and evidence is pointing me to--"

"Sally girl, calm down. What you need is rest and relaxation; the King is going to handle political squabbles of that nature and sort. Tomorrow you take the day off and get yourself pampered."

"I guess I can do that."

"Charming then."

"Thanks for cheering me up, King St. John."

"You've got that look in your eye…"

The skunk whisked Sally off of her feet and into his capable hands. They proceeded to their quarters and weren't seen the rest of the rest of the night.

Tails hit the ground from a Mach 1 punch. The hedgehog wasn't holding back at all. He was coming at all angles at every second knocking Tails near senseless.

"Magna Fox: Endure." thought Tails. Sonic threw a fist into Tails' stomach when the pain turned into electricity. Sonic struck a few more times when Tails gained his footing.

"Magna Fox: Release!" he yelled. Lightning directly blasted into Sonic and stopped his speed. He tumbled to the ground across the dusty ground and into a pile of junk.

"Electric Tails." he yelled. The junk all started to crunch in together when huge sparks burst from the pile. Tails smirked a bit when Sonic landed on him and threw down a huge wind enhanced punch to nothing.

"He's learned how to channel his attacks better." Tails thought. Sonic sped over to the evading Tails and prepared a Sonic Wind attack. He missed and ended up slashing through multiple buildings. Tails had disappeared in the debris of the attack and landed on a taller building overlooking Sonic's recent damages. His finger was pointed at the blue blur like a gun as he uttered Lightning's Tail.

The hand in the shape of a gun charged a small ball of lightning and then blasted a huge amount of electricity down to the battlefield. A section of Robotropolis had been reformatted to look like a crater by means of Tails attack. Tails smiled over his destruction and stood up. He saw the smoke swirling around the center of the crater and a blue figure in the middle.

"As I expected." said Tails.

Sonic had been grazed with the Lightning's Tail but was still holding up his attack above his head. He held above him a light blue sphere with invisible breezes swirling around him. Tails highly doubted his attacks intimidation. He dropped down from the building and into the crater.

"You won't kill me with weak attacks!" Tails yelled.

"Kill you?" Sonic questioned. He released the light blue orb and it fell to the ground. It exploded into a vast vacuum that sucked in all former stable foundations and tossed them to the sides. At the core of the attack was the most insufferable where the foundations had all ended up. Sonic stood atop the junk visibly tired and crouching to his knees.

"I don't want to kill you, you're my best friend." Sonic stated. Tails was deep into the pile with only his head exposed in the pile. He didn't expect such a small orb to do this much damage. He clouded his own judgment and couldn't force himself to look into Sonic's eyes.

"I'd be better off dead." said Tails.

"Enough of this tough-fox act kid." started Sonic. "I need to know what happened to you and not the preachy version where you go through this "struggle" or something like that. Tell me what happened."

Tails struggled to get free from the crest of junk but was failing. The wind was keeping him in place, which was why Sonic's hands were on the junk as well.

"I guess I have no choice." said Tails.

_**In the Next Issue of Sonic 51: See what happened in the past five years and how the world changed for the blue hedgehog. Sonic and Tails are only heating up in their fight when they will reach the midpoint of their heated and active argument. **_

_**Your comments and input highly affect the story's author so keep them coming and the stories will keep coming as well - Givannivan**_


	10. Five Years Ago

**Five Years Ago**

"Tails…" started Sally, "Are you okay?"

He was five-years younger and only with two tails. His fur was a little browner and less hair from his face. He looked up at his "Aunt" Sally and hugged her.

"He's gonna be okay right?" asked Tails with tears welling in his eyes.

"Yes Tails, he's only in a coma. He could wake at any second."

Tails and Sally paused.

"A watched pot never boils; c'mon Tails I have something important to show you."

The pair leaves the knothole hospital and travel through the village. There were a multitude of huts in the area surrounded by huge trees that made sequoias look like twigs. Many huts were constructed from forest materials and new environmentally sound technology that a certain walrus had constructed. They went into the hut with the words "workshop" over the door.

"Hey Rotor." Sally greeted.

"Hey Sal." said Rotor, obviously busy.

"I was wondering if you could well, you know, watch over Tails." Sally whispered.

"Sure, c'mon Tails." said Rotor dropping what he was doing.

"Wow what's that Rote?" asked Tails leaping up on the stool.

"That's a distributor cap. It's supposed to go in the engine of this forest rover but I haven't had any luck with the polarity."

"I know what's wrong." Tails said. He dug into the engine and tinkered around with the mechanics. He plugged, unplugged, switched things around, and then attached the distributor.

Rotor started the engine and was amazed at Tails' technological wisdom.

"Whoa, what's in the old cereal Tails?" asked Rotor.

"Tails this is amazing, when did you learn to do this?" asked Sally.

"When Sonic and I saved Angel Island…" Tails started, "I had to figure out many of Robotnik's encrypted puzzles. It was simple really."

Sally and Rotor looked at each other in amazement.

"I guess I'll go check on Bunnie." said the princess. She left the workshop and Tails was eagerly awaiting orders.

"So what next, Rotor?" asked Tails.

"Umm… I can copy this engine work with the other rovers so I guess we can start on the Project: Nicole."

"Nicole?" asked Tails. "What's that?"

"Not what, who! Sal asked me to try and make her computer into a hologram but I've got no ideas to start."

"What about Robotnik?" Tails exclaimed, "We could go in and steal some stuff! And hopefully Sonic is awake and we can all go."

"That's actually a good idea."

The fox scurried off and ran back to the hospital. He memorized the room number his hero was in and slid into the room. He was still out of it.

"Hey Sonic, we're gonna go to Robotropolis and kick some egg. Aren't you gonna wake up?"

Sonic didn't wake.

"I'll be here when you wake up, okay?" Tails smiled. He ran from the room and out of the hospital before Rotor, Bunnie, Antoine, and Sally.

"He just started to rattle off theses ideas and now he's gone." Rotor explained.

"There he is." Bunnie exclaimed in her thick country accent.

"You ar acting like a complete few-ell." Antoine said in his noticeable French accent.

"Whoa Antoine, lay off the fish eggs." Tails said grabbing his nose. He chuckled to himself and raised his hand for a high five from Sonic.

Sonic wasn't there.

"Tails we can't just rush into Robotropolis at any moment. It takes months of planning to infiltrate the city." Sally explained.

"I'm sorry Aunt Sally." Tails pleaded.

"But it is a good idea." Sally finalized. "We've already decided and you are coming with us on this mission."

"Aunt Sally." Tails said in disbelief.

"With Sonic gone we're gonna make sure his role is still fulfilled." Sally explained.

Tails stepped back.

"Don't say that!" yelled Tails.

"Tails, what is wrong?" Antoine asked genuinely concerned, despite the insult.

"Don't act like he's dead! It's only been two weeks and you're moving on without him!" Tails yelled. The little kid was disciplining the adults. "I'm not going if it means being Sonic's replacement!"

The young fox flew away a lot slower than he will in the future. He graced the treetops and sat among one of the branches. He cried again and sank his head in his arms. He thought about his big brother. The recent trials of the properly named endgame saga had left Knothole Village bare. Sonic had been accused of letting Princess Sally fall to her death while on a mission in Robotropolis. Sonic was imprisoned and sent to the Devil's Gulag where he would face his punishment of regicide. He had naturally escaped and was cleared of his name by Dulcy the dragon and flew to the village. There, Robotnik had invaded and enslaved most of the villagers. Sonic, Knuckles, and Geoffrey St. John had teamed up to drive away the machines and Robotnik. The Eggman had escaped back to his part of the planet and loaded his true weapon, the Ultimate Annihilator – Knothole would be wiped from Mobius' existence. Sonic rushed off with Bunnie and Antoine to finish the score and get revenge for his love, Sally. There the egg and the hog met in combat but were double-crossed by Robotnik's assistant, Snively. There they faced the barrel of the Ultimate Annihilator and were fired upon. Sonic was salvaged among the wreckage and given medical treatment but Robotnik wasn't seen anywhere. Sally and Sonic were both in coma from different acts but Sally had awakened a mere forty-eight hours after.

Sonic wouldn't.

Tails' concentration had been broken when a hand graced his shoulder. He looked up to see his best female friends with smiles across their faces.

"Cream, Amy!" Tails exclaimed.

"How are you doing, Miles?" asked Cream.

"I'm okay, I still wished he'd wake up." said Tails.

"He's going to wake up in the nick of time." said Amy, "You know how he is."

"That's sounds about right." Tails realized.

"Things are going to be okay." Cream comforted. Tails smiled and stood up from the branch.

"I think you should go on that mission Tails." Amy said while standing up.

"Really?" asked Tails.

"Maybe Sonic will get angry and come running to protect you guys." said Cream.

"I'll go then!" Tails exclaimed. "Thanks guys. I'm gonna go tell Sonic!"

Tails flew off from the branch and back down to the hospital.

Amy and Cream leapt down from the treetops and before the princess.

"Good work girls." said Sally. "I knew he'd agreed with one of his own."

"No problem princess." Amy said with disgust. "Glad we could be your puppets!"

"Amy!" Cream yelped.

"I think you should run along, girls." Sally peacefully suggested.

"I swear Sonic's gonna be mine one day!" Amy yelled with Cream pushing her down the path.

"Ugh… those girls are going to be trouble." said Sally.

"Princess Sally!" yelled an accented voice. He ran to the princess and saluted and then stood at ease.

"Geoffrey St. John, how is the rebuilding work going?" asked Sally.

"We have about ninety percent of the work finished. Knothole will be all patched up in no time."

"Are you serious?" Sally said impressed. "This speeds up our productivity greatly."

"Sally are you well?"

"Excuse me."

"It's just I've seen you working nonstop and I'm merely concerned for your well-being."

"Well, thank you Geoffrey but I know what you're doing. I still love Sonic."

The skunk laughed.

"I was only concerned princess."

Geoffrey lightly pinched her chin just before smiling and walking away. Sally blushed a little bit and then continued her way. Sally turned back to her clipboard full of things to be done and checked off the rebuilding work. She looked around and for the first time she felt useless. Things were coming back to near normality without their ray of hope. She shook off the feeling flipped over a new paper. Atop the heading she wrote Project: Nicole – Robotropolis Invasion.

One Week Passes

"Well Sally Girl, I gotta say ya'll put this plan together faster than five-legged sheep dog." said Bunnie as she sat down next to her teammates.

"Well I haven't really had anything to do since the work around here sped up. But trust me this is a full proof plan."

"Are there going to be Su-wat bots?" asked Antoine nearly quivering in his chair.

"Yes, but we're going to avoid them, hopefully." said Sally.

"So what's the goal this time?" asked Rotor.

"It's a collection of microchips stored in the east sector of Robotropolis. They support certain imagery programs like on Nicole now but in much bigger forms."

"This'll be no sweat then." Tails erupted from his chair with a huge smile on his face. This was the first time he had been in one of these meetings and couldn't hold his excitement in any longer. "We'll be up over and gone in no time!"

"That's the spirit sweety-fox!" Bunnie cheered.

"Let's do this Freedom Fighters." said Sally.

Day passes and night falls over the city of Robotropolis. Stars could be seen through the light pollution in the sky as Sally leads her team through the streets.

"It's quieter than a rooster at midnight." whispered Bunnie.

"Oui, it is much too silent for any robots to be jerking about." added Antoine while stiffening up.

A pipe clangs to the ground and Antoine is found in Bunnie's capable arms – quivering.

"Relax Antoine, Tails was just kidding around right?" asked Sally.

"Yes." Tails answered while kicking the pipe underneath pile of rubble.

"Good one!" added Rotor while shooting him the thumbs up.

The city was unusually quiet though. Usually a Swat-bot patrol would storm by or a hovercraft would be soaring through the air but this time was different. There were no swat-bots or security drones.

Robotropolis had died.

The freedom fighters had forgone their secrecy after their short travel into the city. They approached the factory and with Sally's hand-held computer hacked a door open. The factory had been on pause. The swat-bots on the production line weren't complete yet nor were there any security. Microchips ready for installation were in the line too when Sally grabbed a handful and threw them in her pack.

"You guys feel that." asked Tails.

"Feel what sugah?" asked Bunnie.

"Is it Su-wat-Bots?" asked Antoine.

"No it's hard to explain." said Tails, "You mean you don't feel it Rotor?"

"I have no clue what your talking about." said Rotor.

"C'mon let's go, Tails." Sally demanded.

"Wait here! It's calling me." yelled Tails as he flew off into the sky. He soared over the huge egg shaped building the Robotnik had lived in. It was decimated into mechanical ruins and it was the place where Tails landed. He dug his hands into the scraps and kept fishing for what was calling to him. He picked up a piece twice as large as he was and then toppled it to the other side. It slammed on the other metallic pieces when it all collapsed. Tails had soared into the air out of fear but then saw the shine at the center of the collapse. He quickly dropped to the ground and picked up what was transmitting to him.

"A Chaos Emerald." said Tails. It was the emerald without color – one of seven – and the reason Robotnik stopped chasing after the power stone. Tails flew back to his group in utter joy and showed it to Aunt Sally.

"Tails, do you know what this means?" asked Sally.

"We can wake up Sonic, if we gather all of the emeralds. Six more of these and fifty rings and he'll hop out of his bed."

"We can wake Sonic!" Sally exclaimed.

**Four Years Ago**

Tails was in his own workshop now – four times the size of Rotor's workshop and a lot more organized. He was tinkering in a few machines when his only door quietly opened. The intruder silently snuck behind a machine when Tails turned around.

"Hello?" his voice was still the same tone. He was getting a lighter shade of brown and letting his hair grow a little bit. He turned back around to his machine and whisked his two tails around in excitement. The intruder leapt from behind the machine and felt the pain of slamming into a stool. Tails was shaking his head above his intruder with a smile on his face.

"You gotta do better than that if you're going to scare me." Tails uttered while getting his stool upright.

"Your getting good kid." said Knuckles rising up from the floor. "What you workin' on?" he asked.

"I got assigned to work on this new project for us. I heard it's why you and your girlfriend had to move here." said Tails leaping from the stool finished with his work.

"Yeah Princess wasn't too descriptive in her letter." added Knuckles. "What is this project anyway?"

"The Element Integration Application or EIA for short." said Tails walking into a room. "It's for seven hand-picked members of Princess Sally's choice to be fused with the properties of the Chaos Emeralds. Ever since the seven chaos emeralds didn't wake Sonic, we've figured out a new solution."

"So what are you making? Some type of Hyper Knuckles or Turbo Tails."

"Not exactly but you'll see," said Tails getting on a ladder and setting the machine on a shelf. "That's the 72nd piece of the machine and only 963 more to go."

"Well it's not that far." replied Knuckles. "C'mon you have to meet my girlfriend."

"Okay, I could use a break."

Tails and Knuckles leave the workshop but first detour to the hospital. Tails and Knuckles walk in to see a doctor checking Sonic's clipboard before quietly leaving.

"He looks so peaceful." said Knuckles. "It's hard to believe someone as strong as him is reduced to one year of sleep."

"Every night, before I go to sleep, I wish Sonic would wake up so we could have fun again." Tails commented. "I hope he hears my wishes – each and all of them."

"He does kid, and the first thing he'll do is thank you for wishing him back."

"Love you big bro!" Tails said while hugging his idol. He smiled and ran off with Knuckles not too far behind. They emerge out of the hospital and head to the largest building in knothole, Castle Acorn. They enter the non-extravagant castle and stand along with Amy and Cream. Shortly after the boys arrived Julie-Su came in and hugged Knuckles.

"Jules this is Tails, Tails Julie-Su." Knuckles introduced.

"Aww your so cute!" Julie-Su said while hugging the fox. She was a pink echidna with nice brown eyes and wore a blue tunic and blue boots.

"Nice to meet a girl who can put up with Knuckles' rage." Tails joked.

"Don't worry all the anger management he needs is right here." she said while kissing her fists.

"Didn't you throw a fit on your way here? And now that I think about it you have worse anger than I do!" Knuckles argued.

"So this is the Julie-Su." said Sally as she entered the room. She greeted her with a handshake and then greeted Knuckles. "I'm glad you two could make it. I understand Julie-Su here is quite the mechanical genius."

"Well I don't want to toot my own horn but… toot!" she laughed along with Knuckles.

"Then I'm sure you won't mind accompanying Tails and Rotor on our EIA project?" asked Sally.

"You mean this little fox here is your tech!? Wow I never would have guessed."

"In the meantime, I've set up for the top woman in Knothole to train the next generation of females. Our brains and fighting styles should be passed on to the next age group."

"So teach the li'l rascals, got it." Julie summarized.

"I didn't know about that." Tails interjected.

"It was Geoffery St. John's idea. He's actually got some good ones." Sally stated. "But let's go ahead and start this meeting."

In a matter of minutes Bunnie, Antoine, Rotor, Julie-Su, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Cream, and the Wolf Pack Freedom Fighters were lined up before Princess Sally.

"I'm glad all of you could make it, I know some had to travel great distances to make this important meeting. We've come up with the idea to utilize the Chaos Emeralds properties and fuse them with seven-hand picked ones. The others will undergo training and weapon skills to hone their already sterling techniques. I know you may ask why but the answer should be obvious. Sonic the Hedgehog is not at this meeting and won't be due to medical circumstances. He was our villages' ray of hope and its best warrior. He was a single ambassador to all of you and something more to me. We need to fortify our offenses and defenses in this time of need."

Lupe, the leader of the Wolf Pack Freedom Fighters stepped forward.

"We are willing to perform any task to give the Freedom Fighters a chance." Lupe stated.

"I thank you and the rest for your support but there is also more to this meeting. About three weeks ago a message was sent to us via a letter. It came from the Overlander Ruins on the other side of the planet."

The Freedom Fighter questioned among themselves.

"It read they needed help and shelter so I couldn't just leave them there. There is one of them that had escaped a facility under governmental control. And the other didn't really share their past. But I hope you will take them in and show them respect. Okay you can come on out."

Stepping from behind Princess Sally was scantily clad anthropomorphic female bat. She waved to the crowd with a genuine smile and over abundant sex appeal. Knuckles eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw her but quickly realized Julie-Su's gaze was upon him.

"Why don't you just undress her right now?" she said obviously irate. "You've already done it here!" Julie-Su knocked the red echidna in the head and onto the ground.

"Jules." Knuckles pleaded as she leaves.

"Everyone this is Rouge the Bat."

"Hello everyone, thank you for taking us in. You have a beautiful way of… life out here in the forest." she said not really happy about living in a hut.

"And this here is another hedgehog who goes by the name…" Sally said before interruption.

"Sonic!" Tails erupted. The young fox leapt through the crowd and stood before the black and red hedgehog.

"My name is Shadow." he simply said.

"So-Shadow?" asked Tails

"He is the one who was imprisoned." thought Tails.

"So while those two get acquainted with everyone I need to see the Wolf Pack about a mission." commanded Sally.

The Wolf Pack greeted the two newcomers before following Sally in the back.

"Don't know if you noticed, but this is freaky." whispered Rotor to Bunnie and Antoine.

"He's the spittin' image of our old Sugah-hog." Bunnie stated.

"And not only zat, but he looks like a tween of Sonic." added Antoine.

"Well I don't trust him." Rotor stated.

"Well don't jump off the saddle just yet, Rote, let's find out what we can find out." Bunnie commanded.

"Oui, he could be a hero of sum sort." Antoine added. The meeting was adjourned after a few minutes and the Freedom fighters went to their quarters for sleep. Tails stood outside the hut for the two newcomers and was eagerly deciding to knock on the door.

"These people are so nice here, they just took us in. No questions asked." Rouge said while folding a pair of black pants.

Shadow gave no response.

"Although I don't like the hut living, a girl like me doesn't enjoy camping trips twenty-four seven, ya know. But I have no room to complain, as long as it's a roof over our heads."

"Rouge." Shadow called.

"What is it?"

"There is someone at the door."

Tails knocked and was nervously awaiting an opened door.

"Hello cutie, something I could help you with?" Rouge asked while batting her gorgeous eyes.

"Umm… c-can I come in?" asked Tails. Rouge stepped aside and Tails walked in the center of the hut. He looked around and turned to look into Shadow's eyes from across the room. They were filled with mystery and pain and something more when the closed door shattered his concentration.

"Hi, I'm Tails and I just wanted to welcome you guys to the village." he explained.

"Aww how precious." Rouge pressed against her chest and inadvertently directed Tails attention to her breasts. "My name is Rouge and dark and emotional over there is Shadow."

"Hey, Sh-Shadow!" Tails greeted.

"What do you want, Tails?" asked Shadow. Tails paused.

"Umm… just saying hi." Tails explained.

"Shadow show the kid some respect! He is after all the village genius around here." Rouge demanded.

"Genius?" Shadow questioned.

"Yeah I'm working on a project that has to do with the Chaos Emeralds."

"Emeralds?" Rouge questioned, "Like jewels, gems, diamonds, ruby's sapphires and all that?" Rouge sporadically guessed.

"No Chaos emeralds, they have unimaginable power in them and were trying to put them into some of the villagers." Tails explained.

"You know Tails, you are welcome at anytime to visit our hut." Shadow generously stated.

"Yeah, anytime kid." Rouge added while staring back at Shadow. "But for now I'm kicking you out, a girl's gotta get her beauty sleep you know." Rouge stated while pushing the fox out. "Goodnight Tails."

Tails scurried away from the hut as Rouge turned to Shadow.

"What are you thinking?" she demanded. "I don't want you messing up this time okay. The President said I'm here to watch you or kill you if you get out of line."

"I'm not getting out of line Rouge." Shadow stated while leaning back on his bed. "I'm only interested in the child."

"Yeah right." Rouge doubted.

Tails slammed into Amy and hit the ground hard.

"Tails!" Amy was shocked. "What are you doing out this late?"

"Me? What about you!" Tails shot back.

"I actually have a class with Master Sally and Master Bunnie."

"Wait don't you hate Aunt Sally?"

"Well of course I refused at first but she made me and offer…"

"What kind of offer?"

"Let's just say it matures with time."

"Amy…"

"I have to go Tails, I can't be late." Amy scurried off through the huge trees and made her way back to Castle Acorn. She ran through the massive halls and then through the catacombs where she was directed to go. She came upon a room with two desks and a chalkboard in it. Princess Sally Acorn and Bunnie Rabbot were standing at the top of the class and in one of the desks was Cream.

"Let's begin."

The sun rose over the forest and was barely able to extinguish the fog on the ground. There were tales of past Knotholeans that said the fog brought eerie messages with each passing. Coincidently this day was one of them. Geoffrey St. John stood before the saddened Princess and Rabbot and their two pupils. Each of them hung their heads low as Cream tried to muffle her cries. Amy consoled her best friend but her own tears were falling swiftly too.

"My scouts confirmed… Robotropolis activated last night and roboticized the Wolf Pack Freedom Fighters."

"It's my fault." Sally said while breaking down. "I sent them in there."

"Now, now Princess, it was out of our hands." Bunnie consoled.

"If I may make a suggestion." Geoffrey started. "These deaths should only strengthen our resolve. Robotnik has been in hiding for the past year which brings me to the conclusion that he is building something great. We need to hurry our projects up and forget Robotropolis invasions. We ready small armies, we gather freedom fighters from around the world, we band together. We fight for our right as Freedom Fighters and if we succeed. No! And when we succeed we hold that fat bastard in a cell deserving of his crimes."

"Geoffrey?" Sally started.

"I want to help Knothole up, Princess. Can you stand with me?"

**Three Years Ago**

"Placing Yellow Chaos Emerald in appropriate slot." started a female computer voice. "Adjusting wavelength and settings. Subject Miles "Tails" Prower is ready for assimilation."

"I'm ready." said Tails as his voice shook in the process.

"Go ahead Nicole." Sally commanded. The familiar computerized voice was not a computer this time but an actual living being – so to speak. A Knothole resident volunteered to give up their body in order to be the foundation for Nicole. Her body was implanted with technology in order to project holorealmatic images of Nicole throughout Knothole. Tails was chained within a glass tube when a yellow light shined down upon him. The tube filled with electric sparks and brightened the entire room with light. The entire process lasted ten seconds. The chains attached to Tails wrists were liquefied as the tube opened.

"Two down, five to go." said Nicole checking off Tails just below the pre-checked Sonic the Hedgehog. Sally emerged from out of Tails Workshop and saw the other five sitting on a bench awaiting the appointment.

"You're next Knuckles." Sally stated. Tails was helped out by two robin nurses and was walking past the next three in line.

"I'm having second thoughts now." said Amy in her new and mature body. She looked about the same age as Sally and Sonic and the other older freedom fighters but her personality was still in the works. During her training she couldn't keep up physically and just didn't have coordination to follow Bunnie's fighting regiments. Amy was then visited by a ninja and given a map to a precious stone outside of Knothole. The jewel granted a power of youth and age by a simple touch. Fortunately for the pink lady hog her body was aged five years older. Her adolescent eyes now stared at her best friend in the clutches of the nurses.

"Pain…" Tails mustered up a warning to those in line. Rouge looked over at Amy and Cream and sighed. They were shaking and trembling at the thought of their turn.

"This is going to be a long day." she mumbled to herself. She crossed her arms and just happened to look to her left to see the black hedgehog walk into the room. "I guess showing up late is what you slackers love to do huh?"

Shadow sat down as if he never heard Rouge's shrill comment. He had passed an out-of-it Tails and crossed his arms.

"It's about time this day came." he said.

"I know right, I'm so excited!" Cream exclaimed. "My mother told me I'll be as strong as Princess Sally or maybe as strong as Madam Bunnie!"

"That's impossible Bunnie is the strongest girl I know!" Amy shot back. Knuckles was assisted out of the room with Julie-Su under one arm. She was struggling but didn't want any help from anybody. She couldn't adjust to Knuckles weight or insurmountable temperature and dropped him to the floor.

"Oops." said Julie-Su.

"Really Julie-Su? Littering?" Rouge smugly teased.

"Shut up you flying rat!" Julie shot back. Shadow grabbed Rouge's arm before she could get up and kick her in the face. Shadow tugged again and sat the bat down in her chair.

"Their only words." said Shadow.

"Yeah right…" she mumbled.

(Scene change)

Rotor was putting the finishing touches on a machine of Tails' design. He stopped tinkering on the insides of a panel when he plugged up a few wires and screwed the panel back to the console.

"Now let's get this baby running." he said aloud. He threw a couple of switches and started to feel the fans of the machine cool the insides. The room was riddled with machinery stolen from Robotropolis and the add-ons to make it environmentally sound. The only real body of "Nicole" was synchronized with machines making her a Cyborg to an extent. She was, by her own voluntary action, no longer her own self but sacrificed her body for the villages sake.

"This is good." Rotor thought, "Everything is working up to par. Now let's see if I can get Nicole to come over here."

A static image of Nicole was projected from the machine as Nicole stood before Rotor at attention.

"I am Nicole, overseer of Knothole Village, how may I assist you?" she said.

"Perfect. She's finished."

(Scene change)

Sally stood over the seven in the healing hut of the multitude of hospital huts. She was pleased with the scene as six of them were groaning in pain. They had natural elements mixed with chaos energy in them. The amount of chaos energy they had was a natural thing given to them at birth. Sonic had the most with Tails close behind and Knuckles in close third. Sally examined Shadow's chart and then looked at the black hedgehog who was unusually calm. There were stats on the sheet that read general listings when Sally lowered the clipboard.

"You have so much Chaos Energy nearly double of what Sonic had." Sally started.

"Back in the Overlander ruins I was freed from a lab. My guess is I was studied and tested upon."

"This is definitely abnormal, but then again everything is abnormal from you."

said Sally as Shadow rolled his eyes. "I never really got to thank you for saving this village this past year now. You just got dove right in and defended us against Robotnik's attacks."

"Please I don't need your empty gratitude." Shadow pushed away. Geoffrey St. John entered into the hut with a bouquet of roses behind his back.

"Geoffrey, what are you doing here? I thought you weren't coming back for another week?" Sally interrogated between hugs.

"I needed to see my lady. The fellas fully understood my love." Geoffrey shot back while handing her the roses.

"They're beautiful." she said while smelling them.

"I can think of something more fancy." Geoffrey said while staring into Sally's eyes; his small British accent helping his game. "What do you say to dinner on the treetops tonight?"

"I… I can't." Sally visibly upset. "I'm going to be busy tonight."

"OH I see," Geoffrey now upset. "That's what I get for dropping in unannounced."

"At least you see the mistake you've made." Shadow chimed in. He was entertained by the soap opera before him. He stood from the bed and made his way to the exit when he was stopped.

"Shadow!" Tails sprang from his bed. Shadow looked over and stopped.

"Where ya going?" asked Tails.

"To be alone."

"Oh…" Tails started, "Well you don't have to be. We could go try out our new abilities. We could train together, like we always do."

"About that…" Shadow started, "that's not happening anymore. I've let you get to close as it is. I think you're mature enough to handle disappointment especially with that brother you said had died."

"Shadow, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying," Shadow laughed, "Catch me if you can."

Shadow held out his hand and then flicked Tails in the forehead.

"Shadow's Faint." he said.

Tails grew fatigued and slammed back down into the bed.

Tails awoke. He was the last that did and was confused about his recent dream. All he could remember were Shadow's words: "Catch me if you can". He stormed out of bed and out of the hut. It was nighttime and no one was out or anything. It was pretty late by Knothole standards so Tails decided to go back to his lab and catch some more rest. He headed there when he saw a ninja slowly climb out of the entryway.

"Hey what are you doing?!" Tails yelled. The ninja perked up and tried to hurry his efforts but was fatigued. Tails ran up to the ninja and grabbed him by the arm when an electrical shock burst through the fox's body. The ninja looked down at Tails as he headed away from the lab. Tails climbed into the lab and couldn't go any further. He rested on the floor as electricity jolted over his body. He closed his eyes very slowly. He could see the dreams off in the distance and was gliding toward ever so swiftly. His eyes shut and then popped open from a huge blast.

It was daylight and screaming villagers were heard through every hut.

Tails leapt from the lab and looked to his left to a streak of silver and red blast through a section of Knothole. Tails looked at his hands and saw the electricity going through them. He took off toward that direction and then landed in the west remains of Knothole Village. He helped up mostly injured villagers when at the corner of his a silver and red streak occurred again and section of the forest was decimated. Tails faced the destruction and then looked back at the village. They were all amuck in the situation. Crisis had struck Knothole yet again and this time it was on Tails shoulders.

"I can't do this alone." said Tails. "I need help."

As if on cue Amy dropped from the treetops and landed next to Tails.

"Miles what's going!?" she questioned.

"C'mon Amy!" he yelped. They bolted through the Knothole and gathered Knuckles, Cream, Rouge, Antoine, Bunnie, and Sally. They all were gathered in short amounts of time when a silver streak passed directly through the center of Knothole. The castle and huge huts were sliced in pieces as the eight Freedom Fighters turned to see the cause.

"Shadow!" Tails yelled.

"Shadow what are you doing!?" yelled Rouge. "This was not part of the plan!"

"I'll stop him!" yelled Knuckles. He leapt toward Shadow with his fists full of fire. He blasted it toward the hedgehog but it didn't do a thing.

"The Chaos Emeralds." Amy spoke up. They were swirling around Shadow as he took off the veil of chaos energy around him.

"Sacre Blue! He ees going to destroy zees whole place!" yelled Antoine.

"I won't let that happen!" Tails yelled. He charged up electricity in his body and pointed his hand in the shape of a gun toward Shadow. He clutched his wrist and started yelling when A bolt of electricity surged over Shadow and engulfed most of the forest behind him. Tails fell to his knees as Shadow merely cleared his throat.

"Are you done yet?" asked Shadow in a double octave voice. The power of the emeralds was surging through his massive chaos energy.

"Why are you doing this shadow?!" Cream said through tears.

"Isn't it obvious?" he answered. "I'm power hungry! The EIA only granted me a sip compared to the gulps of power the emeralds are giving me."

"So you're not crazy just stupid." Sally remarked. Shadow appeared choking Sally within his grip. She clutched his wrists trying to stop him when she went unconscious instantly.

"Sally girl!" yelled Bunnie. Shadow slammed her into the ground as he rose to the sky.

"I'm going to test my ability and kill each and everyone of you slowly." Shadow said.

"No…" Amy pleaded. "Don't do that."

Shadow faded back to his normal hue of black and red as the emeralds descend back into real space and time.

"My power!" Shadow yelled. "My power!"

The emeralds turned bright versions of their color and blasted into the sky. They arched their separate ways and scattered themselves into the planet Mobius.

Knuckles slammed his fist into Shadow as he was sent flying into the forest.

"I'm gonna make you pay ten fold!" Knuckles yelled. Knuckles chased after him with Tails just behind him. Shadow got to his feet when a flame surrounded him.

"Wait." said Tails. "I need to know."

Shadow smiled not in fear of the flames encircling him.

"C'mon, humor me kid."

"Tails! You better let him have it!" Knuckles went on the offensive.

"All this time, I thought you were my brother, and you betray the village and your friends. How could you!?"

"That's the thing you ignorant mutant scavenger, everyone is a pawn in this game. I was only after the emeralds, like I always have been. How else would the world's ultimate life-form keep going. I've been doing this since beginning-less time and will keep until I've had my fill. Our friendship was only a construction. Nothing more and certainly something less."

Tails cried insufferable tears. He had been manipulated and his faith in comrades has been completely shaken. First his true brother leaves him through sleep and now a new friend shoves betrayal in his lap. This was the moment Tails had changed; his foundation now withstood a massive figurative earthquake. Tails collapsed onto the forest floor with Knuckles taking aim at Shadow. The black hedgehog simply disappeared by way of his newfound ability.

Knothole village had suffered incomplete destruction, again.

**Two Years Ago**

"Wake up."

Sonic lay peacefully in his bed for the past three years. Unaware of the difficult changes bestowed to his village he would wake to a new life. The hedgehog's arms were at his side over comfortable covers and blankets with a puberty-stricken fox sitting in a chair across the room.

"Wake up."

Tails was now wearing clothes because of the new law passed within knothole. Apparently, a few baboons went a little too far in their re"butt"al. (sorry, had to). All villagers were strongly urged to put on clothes or face jail time. Of course, this was history to Tails but new information to a waking Sonic the Hedgehog. Tails stood up and then slowly approached the bed.

"Sonic?" he asked with hope. The blue hedgehog merely turned over in the bed and got comfortable.

Tails let tears well up in his eyes and he slammed his fists on the bed rail.

"Wake up!" Tails yelled. "I need you, now more than ever! The village is lost without you and we haven't fully recovered from the Shadow attack. I thought you would be here by now but you're not! You've forgotten about Aunt Sally and you've forgotten about me! I trust you and look what it got me! Pain and heartache! But you don't care… you're just going to be the know-it-all you always were! I hate you! I swear to the master emerald that you did this on purpose! You don't even know what I had to go through… without you…"

Tails turned around to see Amy in the doorway.

"Tails." Amy said, while holding a flower. She came in everyday to change Sonic's bedside flower and kiss him on the forehead. This time she would have a visitor.

"This is the first time you've been in here… in how long?"

"You heard all of that didn't you? I don't care it needed to be said."

"It's been long enough without him Tails, don't blame him for this it's actually a miracle when you think about it; a living preservation."

"Amy…"

"Yes, Tails.

"He's dead to me."

"…Tails!"

The ground started rumbling violently. Everyone was questioning what was occurring. The seismograph in Rotor's lab was going off the charts as he pinpointed the epicenter at the same time. He ran out of the lab and started yelling out words no one wanted to hear.

"Evacuate the village!" yelled Rotor. The walrus was on his way toward the castle while yelling the warning. The village was still in the Great Forest but in another secluded part. Since shadow destroyed most of Knothole they had to move on as refugees. The citizens of Knothole had just settled in to life when this earth rumbling event started to happen. Rotor slammed into the biggest hut and saw Sally and Geoffrey scrambling around.

"Rotor, what is going on?" asked Sally.

"Something big is going down in Robotropolis. I think it's happening again." Rotor guessed.

"Nicole!" Sally yelled.

The holorealmatic lynx appeared with no worry across her face.

"Follow Rotor's instructions and get everyone to the hideaway bunkers in lower Mobius."

"As you wish Sally."

Multiple Nicole's appeared in and around Knothole's temporary setting. She was swiftly directing villagers out of the village and into the great forest. The brave and enduring villagers had gone through a drill six months ago to leave their possessions behind and only take their family. Within the Great Forest was a well but not for water purposes. It was a tunnel underneath the decoy for evacuation purposes. The villagers got to the tunnel and dove right in. They slid down for what seemed to be minutes and slid into a huge bunker. They gathered those close to them and proceeded to a heavy door on the other side. Beyond the door was an underground village. The last time they saw Knotholeans was when Sonic, Sally, and Antoine had to escape swat bot assault. There they met a goat named Griff who helped them out and took them to safety in Lower Mobius. Now the whole village of knothole was in danger.

Lower Mobius was getting packed with animals as the rumbling was less ominous in the catacombs. Tails and Amy were some of the last ones to hear the warning so they got to alert the hospital and get nurses, doctors, and patients out of there. Being pushed within his bed Amy and Tails were practically stumbling toward the well.

"Take him!" commanded Amy. She jumped on the front part of the bed as Sonic catapulted into the air. Tails reacted and caught him in mid flight.

"I'll seal us in! Get to safety!" Amy yelled.

"Amy no!" Tails pleaded.

"Don't worry, Tails I know I'm going to be okay."

Tails trusted those words and flew threw the forest at blinding speed. He circled over the well and landed at its brim. He Sonic at the edge and gently shoved him down the hole. He blasted to the treetops, his two tails whirring behind him, and he got to see the horizon and the horrible sight coming toward him.

Robotropolis was expanding.

The sky was littered with dirigibles with huge roboticizing machines attached at their bottoms. Robotnik was making his dream come true. Tails started to dart toward the enemy when saw Amy scurry to the well. He sighed and headed back with his friend.

"Tails, is Sonic okay?"

"Nevermind him, we need to get to Lower Mobius now!"

"Tails, what's going on?"

"Robotnik is the source of this; he's expanding Robotropolis!"

Amy's face went pale as the rumbling continued to get worse.

"Get in the hole!" Tails demanded.

"Are we going to survive?"

"Maybe. Get in the hole."

Amy jumped into the tunnel as Tails pulled a lever within the well. The fox jumped into tunnel as the well slid over it. Many doors closed behind the fox as he made his descent.

**One Year Ago**

A golden yellow fox was perusing through the new compound of the villages estate. A nonchalant look draped across his face but on the inside he was happy. Knothole was no more. That name had been through the ringer with destruction and obliteration synonymous with it. Things were different now. The two tailed fox, with an extra two sprouting from his underside, was carefully observing the finishing touches on the new village. He never knew how profound a life lesson could actually be.

Out with the old, in with the new.

With death there is life.

Each generation must surpass the next.

He was seeing this for the first time in a long time. The villagers of the former Knothole had all become professionals at rebuilding and refurbishing and with Nicole pointing the way this time things would have a technological touch. The golden fox let out a rare smile and proceeded to the high tenements of Castle Acorn. He walked through the huge doors of the castle and noticed the whole crew was there.

"Tails! There you are!" Amy noticed. "We need you to fly these banners over those railings."

As quickly as the pink hedgehog explained it Tails was coming in for a smooth landing.

"It's amazing how fast you've become." Cream complemented.

Tails nodded.

"Yeah he's as fast ol' sugah-hog used to be." said Bunnie.

"No no, I am thinkeeng he is even faster than that blue fool."

"Wow Antoine you've really come along on those English lessons." Rotor shot out while handing Sally a few schematics.

"Yes. We've all had time to regroup ever since Robotnik launched his spread. At least, we've had some good out of it too." said the princess.

"And still the best is yet to come, my love." said Geoffrey St. John, while lugging in some cases. He kissed the chipmunk he was courting on her cheek. "We should be back to normality within the next three months. New Mobotropolis will be the apple of Mobius' eye."

"Ugh.. I swear he ees more annoying than a toad." Antoine mumbled.

"Now now Antoine, hold ya'll tongue." Bunnie mumbled back.

"I am sorry my cherie amour." Antoine shot back in his native tongue.

"Nicole, what's our status?" asked Sally. The holorealmatic lynx blinked before her owner and bowed.

"We are ahead of schedule as usual. Our sentry's outside of Robotropolis have reported no activity from Robotnik for the past month."

"He's up to something again." stated Tails. "We need to prepare the city."

"All defensive and offensive preparations are complete Tails. We are fully aware of any attack Robotropolis tries."

"Still, I don't want for New Mobotropolis to go up in flames." said Tails.

"And it won't." said Sally. "You guys can take the rest of the day and finish up some training, since my big guy here is worried."

"That sounds entertaining." Tails perked up.

The Freedom Fighters met outside of Castle Acorn in the courtyard. Tails was looking over his team as he always had before each session.

"Ugh… with Knuckles gone no one can out muscle Rotor, and Rouge's leaving left Amy alone too.

"Okay, today we're going to pair up." said Tails. "Amy versus Me. Bunnie versus Cream. Antoine versus Rotor. The goal is contain your enemy. Begin."

Amy lunged toward Tails and a quick speed. She slammed her hand into the ground before Tails as he leapt into the air. Amy crouched down and leapt into the air and tackled Tails. Together they tumbled through the air and slammed into the forest outside of the city. A couple trees were split down the middle as they recompose themselves just a few feet apart.

Bunnie reeled that fearsome left hand back lashed it toward Cream. The smaller rabbit jumped and let out her ears. She glided up on an air current as she directed her arms toward her master. Bunnie Rabbot was being paralyzed by Cream's attacks and was struggling to break free. Cream landed on the ground and started to lift her higher when Bunnie's arm folded back and a sticky bomb launched from her elbow. Cream was hit with the residue and lost her hard-to-control ability.

"Cheese!" she yelled. The hero chao appeared from the sky and swooped in to push Bunnie out of the way.

Antoine fended of another missile from Rotor's rocket launcher. They had made their way outside of the city into the riverside. Rotor had the mechanical advantage with his rocket boots, missile launcher, and machine guns; all Antoine had was the sword in his hands and the sheath on his hip. Another sticky-grade missile came Antoine's way when he sliced right through it. Rotor was atop the small rocky waterfall when he started to reload. He looked down at Antoine and then to his ammo when he heard the coyote getting closer. He barely had time to dodge when Antoine's blade came across the missile shell. The royal guard leapt from harms way as the shell exploded in the pink goo. Rotor was covered in the stuff when it hardened.

"Eet seems I am victorious." Antoine said whilst his accent faded.

"Cheater." Rotor mumbled.

Amy was evading small lightning strikes through the trees. She had a nearly four-tailed fox on her back and was trying all she could to evade. She smashed through a tree as it started to fall. Tails had to change course several times because of the toppling trees. The fox got his footing when a stone flew through the air. He noticed it at the peak of its trajectory and started to charge up a blast. Amy ran up and noticed Tails' palm was in her face.

"Vey good Amy." said Tails. He had a fist on his chain with an arrogant smile across just above.

"Now if you'll excuse me." she said. She blinked in front of Tails and simply pushed the boulder away as it got close. It slammed onto forest floor as wood shards soared across the jungle.

"C'mon let's see how the others did." Amy suggested. She was carried with Tails' capable hands over the city of New Mobotropolis.

Cheese was tuckered out and on the ground. He was a little chao and didn't have much energy after eating the bean burrito Cheese fed him. Bunnie was leaping from roof to roof just outside of Cream's small range. Bunnie leapt into the air and down into flower fields. Cream glided across the field and got Bunnie within her grasp. The cyborg was flung across the field with a young bunny close behind. Cream got Bunnie with her control and started pressing down. Bunnie built up her strength and overpowered the control. In turn Cream was repelled against her will and back into the surrounding houses.

"This oughta do it." said Bunnie. She blasted another bomb after the young Bunnie but didn't realize what she had until it was airborne.

Cream was within the walls of her own house. The kitchen was practically destroyed but the look upon her mothers face was one of pity. She put the dish she was holding back into the sink and helped up her only child.

"C'mon let's get you cleaned up." said Vanilla. A poison gas bomb slammed into the wall behind Cream and filled the house with seconds. Bunnie came rushing in after her own work. She was already full of tears as she used her jacket as a sloppy breathing device.

"Cream!" her muffled yells fill her leather jacket.

"Over here!" yelled Vanilla. The purple gas cleared just a little bit. The two ladies were among the debris with Vanilla's apron across Cream's mouth.

"Get her out of here!" yelled Vanilla. Bunnie grabbed Cream in her arm and Vanilla in the mechanical arm. She got them both out of there and into clear air.

"Mother!" Cream yelled. Vanilla was set down among the flowers as Cream knelt over top of her.

"Are you okay?" asked Cream.

"I'll get her to the hospital." said Tails.

"Is she gonna be okay?" asked Cream.

"Of course, she is." said Amy. "C'mon we're going to meet Tails there."

Bunnie eyes were full of tears. They ran and flew of in such a hurry they didn't even want to hear Bunnie's side. Not yet.

"I- I don't know what to say!" Sally exclaimed.

"Say yes." said Geoffrey St. John.

"Yes." said Sally.

The burly skunk slipped an expensive diamond over Sally Acorns finger. They were engaged. The only witnesses were Rotor and Nicole who were helping Sally with a few construction plans.

"Congratulations you two." he said. "I always wanted to see you two together."

"Sally St John has a nice ring to it does it not." the skunk said between kisses.

"Oh Geoffrey, we have to get started with the wedding; the invitations, guest list, a location, flowers, my family has to be here, all this has to be done."

"And it is." said Nicole blinking in between the two. "I've already gathered a suitable list and an appropriate location. I trust you'll like what I've chosen."

"As prepared as ever Nicole." said Sally.

"My jacket size is a 44 and my right arm is just a little bit longer than my left." said Geoffrey as the ladies head back to Sally's quarters.

"All according to plan my good walrus." said the skunk.

"Yes your Kingliness." said Rotor.

**Present Day**

"After the engagement happened Cream tried to kill Bunnie for the death of her mother. We were all faced with a decision and decided to sentence Cream to some time away from New Mobotropolis. A month later Sally and Geoffrey married and Antoine and Bunnie confessed their love for each other. Six months later you came back into the picture." Tails explained.

His best friend was sitting before him pondering over the story Miles Prower just revealed to him. Things went into a downward spiral from the infinite sleep Sonic received. Knothole lost. Robotropolis expanded. Knuckles moved on. Cream went dark. Shadow betrayed. Geoffrey stole Sally. Amy grew up.

Tails lost himself.

The blue hedgehog known as Sonic lifted his hands from the pile of junk. Tails was no longer being vacuumed within the scraps. Sonic leapt down onto the ground and stood with his head to the sky. Tails brushed himself off after escaping the mechanical debris. He was internally injured but dared not to show it. He slid down the pile and landed feet from the hedgehog.

"I'm not going to go any further with this Tails." Sonic stated. "You've really had to fight. I'm responsible for everything and that Shadow is definitely going to pay!"

"What are you doing?" he asked with skepticism. He folded his arms and shifted his weight.

"I'm making up this time I've lost. I need to get Cream to a resolve. I need to catch Shadow. I need to patch things up with my best friend. I need to… stop Robotnik. I gotta stop Robotnik."

"You think doing that will get you some resolution?" Tails scoffed. "You can't sum up five years of struggle in this short amount of time. You don't realize what you have to do if this going to happen, which it won't."

"You gotta stop being so negative, big guy. I'm going to solve all of these problems."

"Yeah right." said Tails.

"I see things are going tough with you." said Sonic. "C'mon, we're getting the team. First we're going to find Shadow."

"And what about the mission in progress?" Tails shot back.

"You ended it remember! And besides I don't think your fit to be leader… especially with that temper you've got."

Tails growled but quickly covered it up.

"Told ya." said Sonic.

**Sorry for the huge delay but I hope you enjoyed this explanatory chapter. The next arc will definitely keep you glued to your computer screens. And I promise no more two month delays… lol…**


	11. My Man's Cool

Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, and Rouge gathered in the dusk filled sky of Robotropolis. The three were looking at the former best friends with uncanny looks. Neither of them was dead or seriously injured. They weren't even arguing – as much. The Freedom Fighters were also confused at who was leading the team. The Blue Blur wore his permanent cocky smile as he wiped the area under his nose.

"Okay this is what's going to happen." said Sonic the Hedgehog. "Since Tails has told me everything that happened in the five years without me, I'm leading this team to resolve all the issues. It's what Sonic did years ago and it's what Sonic will do five minutes from now."

"Uh…" started Rouge.

"First thing we're doing is tracking Shadow, no one puts Knothole in trouble and gets away with it." Sonic added. Tails lay his head in his palms.

"Okay Sonic, where do we start?" asked Amy through snickers.

"Uh…" said Sonic.

"As passionate and extremely idiotic that plan is I'd rather have Tails leading things." Rouge started again, "We made it here in partial pieces, why not just take out Robotnik now?"

"Truth be told Rouge, we don't have the man power for it anyway, this was a reconnaissance mission too. We've wasted too much energy in arguing and friendly fire."

"I guess he's right." Knuckles went on. "And besides I'm ready to take a fight to Shadow."

"Should I ask again?" Amy pleaded.

"We know Amy, we know. That's why we're going to get Bunnie and Rotor back, and let Julie-Su join if she's up for it."

"If she's in, I'm out," said Rouge under her breath.

"C'mon let's go." said Sonic.

The Freedom Fighters darted from Robotropolis' many central squares and back to West Islands Casino district. They were swift in their return and mapped out a quick route back to Emerald Hill coastline.

Princess Sally slid her and her bikini into a mud bath. This was the luxurious life she had been putting off for some time. Sure she was the princess, the leading lady of Knothole for years, but she was always busy. Whether it was directing citizens, or rebuilding the village she never once sweated over things or lost sleep. Now it was her turn to lose herself. She was being pampered at a spa within the confines of New Mobotropolis.

"Queen St. John, the drink you requested." said an owl handing her the full glass of raspberry lemonade.

"Set it down please." the queen said through moans and sighs. The owl left with her tray in hand and a smile across her face. The lynx appearing in the room looked on with questionable doubt.

"This is most unlike you, Master." said Nicole almost cracking a smile.

"Hello… Nicole… how are you today?" Sally asked while adjusting the cucumbers on her face.

"I do not have an answer for that question but I do have other answers." said Nicole wetting Sally's conversational appetite.

"Can it wait Nicole, they're preparing for my massage in few minutes… the de-clawed bear they have in there has the hands of a god." Sally said nearly sliding into the mud.

"I've found two members of the rebels in conversation in the central square. They were only talking but…"

"So it was nice chat among friends." Sally straightened up.

"Not exactly. They kept mentioning something called The Reckoning. I've checked database after database but nothing came up as extraordinary. I fear dark times are ahead of us."

"The Reckoning?" Sally questioned. "This doesn't sound good at all. Who were the ones talking?"

"It is not good at all. The ones talking were a pig named Hamlin and a porcupine named Archie. They spoke of reform and democracy."

Sally rose out of the bath. "I need to talk to Geoffrey."

The Freedom Fighters had gathered again. The original five assigned to this mission were all smiles in the palace halls of Echidna Village. Bunnie's left side had been patched up and healed completely. Since most of organic body was only upper torso her healing rate had gone up. She was fitted with mechanics from Julie-Su which provided better lateral movement on her legs. Bunnie wasn't the only one with upgrades.

Rotor wore a titanium plated vest over his huge torso and had many places for pistols within it. On his back was a new flight capability known as the winged jet pack. He abandoned his jet bets and placed more pistols alongside the normal combat boots he wore. His fatigue pattern shorts hang loosely from his waist. The huge cannon he normally carried was strapped over his jet pack. He was battle ready at every turn.

"Hey guys." Sonic nonchalantly greeted.

"Sugah-hog!" Bunnie sprung off the handle and hugged him. "Ya'll are okay now?"

"We had a few team snags and decided to put that mission on hold." Tails explained.

"It wouldn't be right to go with that mission without you two." said Amy.

"And what are we?" Rouge eyeballed Amy. Knuckles would have joined the burn session but he was focused on the Queen coming down the hall. His eyes were wide but quickly hid them in a gruff clearing of the throat.

"Queen Julie-Su." Knuckles greeted with a passionate kiss. Julie-Su nearly melted but kept her composure. She returned the kiss as the others rolled their eyes.

"So what's been going on?" asked Rotor.

"A new mission, my good walrus." said Sonic. "We're going Shadow hunting."

"Heh, is this guy serious?" Rotor asked while looking at Tails.

"Sonic is correct…" Tails sighed, "But I'm still leading this team, no matter how idiotic the mission is."

"Actually we just a call from home base, not too long ago." started Bunnie.

"Yeah It was, what, about a few days ago." Rotor added.

"Nicole wants us to head 'em up, move 'em out, and jam back to New Mobo." Bunnie explained.

"Regroup?" Tails questioned. "Sounds good."

"What for?" Sonic asked. "As long as we're not in the wrong, we can run the Freedom Fighters however we want."

"Nope." Amy interjected. "King St. John commands that he and the Queen be informed of our doings. I mean it only makes sense, right?"

Sonic sighed.

"Kings, Queens, commands, this doesn't seem right." Sonic mumbled. "We used to do whatever we wanted."

"Times have changed Sonic, what can you expect?" said Amy.

Sonic crossed his arms.

"You're so cute when your mad." Amy whispered.

He held his tongue which had become the normal fashion for him. The Freedom Fighters he remembered were a no-holds-barred kind of team. They were relentless and had plenty of attitude to take on Robotnik. Now they were this strict group who always followed this new command; five years ago the Freedom Fighters were the command.

"So when do we go back?" asked Tails

"Yesterdays Rooster crow." Bunnie simplified it.

"Nicole said things are getting intense at home and some of us are needed there." Rotor explained.

"I guess we're stationed here." Knuckles said while clutching the hips of his Queen.

"I may as well wet my appetite for drama and leave with you guys then." said Rouge. "And I may not look it but I'm an excellent tracker especially for black hedgehogs."

"Okay we get you chatty bat." Julie-Su stated.

Rouge started to unleash the anger she had stored up for the Queen.

"Let's make this trip a short one." Tails said while nudging Rouge along.

"Wait." said Knuckles. "I'm not too sure about this but…"

Everyone looked on questionably.

"I've seen you do things in the past that were simply amazing." started Knuckles. "Like the three times you stopped the Death Egg for example. And I know one thing that I've learned about that black hedgehog, he's after the chaos emeralds. I'm giving you my Chaos Emerald so that you can take that poor example of a hog."

He withdrew the Chaos Emerald from the invisible chaos energy surrounding himself and handed the jewel to Sonic.

"It's gonna weaken things here at home but my people are fighters. If Shadow comes stomping in here were gonna give it all we got and send him to the pits." Knuckles stated.

Sonic accepted the emerald and stored it in his own energy.

"My man's cool!" Sonic and Knuckles shook hands.

Shadow appeared in the Great Forest.

He surveyed the edges of the giant trees just before entering. The place was literally rotting with each day. The trees were splintering and the leaves were withering. The Great Forest wasn't so great anymore. Shadow had walked a great length into the forest when he felt a presence. He kept his eyes forward as if nothing were troubling his senses. Shadow leapt when the ground exploded. He landed on a tree branch up above when he saw what was causing the explosions. A rocket was flying toward him when he leapt again. Shadow landed on the ground when he looked up to see multiple projectiles heading his way.

Shadow turned tail and lead the rockets his way. He ran through multiple underpasses of fallen trees and parried through the uprights of trunks. Shadow did it all at lightning fast speed as the rockets started to collapse the trees. A section of the great forest was toppling down as Shadow stood amidst the fallen wood.

"Who are you?" asked Shadow.

"Hedgehog located. Initiating elimination process." the machine stated. The hands switched on the robot and it started to charge a laser.

Shadow started to walk toward the robot unafraid of the ominous glow of the light.

"What are you?" Shadow asked calmly.

"Laser fully armed." it stated.

The laser blasted a head line straight through the forest. It cleared away at least seventy miles of forest before it dissipated. The smell was sweet like a campfire but the sight was a huge scar in the woods.

The robot's legs exploded in a flurry of chaos energy.

It fell to its back as it started to aim up above. The arms of the robot then followed with an explosion of periwinkle and orchid light. All it was now was a torso and head.

"Epsilon." Shadow said after landing close to it. "The E-series robots sent to assassinate hedgehogs. Where are your brothers?"

"Sending collected information to surviving units. Data sent." Epsilon stated. "Self-destruct initiated."

Epsilon blew up and took a mile radius of the forest with him. Shadow stood among the flames and sighed.

His pocket started to vibrate.

"Is this what you wanted?" Shadow calmly questioned.

"It is actually?" said the contact.

"Who are you?" asked Shadow. "A timid hedgehog with a hold on my emeralds."

"I am a dreamer with goals to achieve now Shadow. My dreams can't come true if those robots are in the way. Once you eliminate all five you'll get your hands on just one emerald. From there we can talk about the next two that I have."

"Who is this?"

"I swear you are a difficult ultimate life-form. Just do as your told and the emeralds are yours."

"I don't like being led on. If I find out this is a joke I will annihilate you!"

"I welcome your arrival then."

The contact hung up.

Shadow shoved the phone back into his pocket and disappeared by means of Chaos control.

**A brand new arc baby!!!! Umm… sorry it took so long though… I can't imagine how the much the fans wanna beat me up for taking so long but don't worry the story will and shall continue! Sonic 51 number 12 comin' your way…soon!**


	12. Hey Yo Birdlegs!

"Ugh… This pretty much sickens me now." stated Tails.

"I mean it was cute at first but now it just makes feel sick when I watch it." Rouge added.

"At least we're not far from the city gates." Tails stated.

"C'mon guys you don't like a good love story?" Rotor asked. It was odd for this walking armory to be concerned about everyone's opinion on love stories.

"And besides nothing goes better together than blue and pink." Bunnie added.

Sonic and Amy were holding hands as they approach New Mobotropolis' gates.

"I remember that!" Sonic exclaimed. "I thought that was just an accident."

"Nope." Amy replied. "I did it on purpose so that you would notice my womanly charm."

"Yeah but back then you were like six." Sonic smiled.

"A woman nonetheless." Amy pushed Sonic a little bit.

"You're not jealous are you Tails?" asked Rouge.

"No, I just came to the conclusion that both of them are idiots and idiots are practically made for each other." Tails expressed.

The Freedom Fighters passed into the city.

"All I know is I can't wait to see my 'toine-ey when I get home and give him some sugah." Bunnie thought aloud.

"Gross." Tails mumbled.

"Welcome home Freedom Fighters." said Nicole appearing.

"Nicole. How are things here?" asked Tails. "New Mobotropolis is pretty fair today. There are few disturbances today and the King and Queen await your arrival at Castle Acorn."

"Let's go then." said Tails.

"Although…" Nicole started. "There is something going on there."

"It is because of your finicky rule that knothole was desecrated to the ground! It is through your rule we have been the target for the past three years and it is through your rule we cannot ever find stability in this world." said one of the Rebel leaders. He was a pig named Hamlin.

Known for rolling around in the mud and eating whatever was in the troughs, pigs are known as sloppy animals. Despite their appearances they are one of the smartest animals in the world. It was one of many things backing up Hamlin's confidence beside his partner Archie. He was a porcupine with beaded quills going all down to his back. He wore glasses and tunic like Hamlin's. They were standing before the King and Queen and laying out proposal after proposal to the irate couple.

"This Kingdom has been here since before my fathers rule." Sally stepped up. "It was the very one that established the original Mobotropolis and the one that rooted Knothole in the Forest. This kingdom has endured many things and even a coup d'état in the past. I will not stand for any of this kind of action in my day."

"And it is that harsh and stubborn mindset that has provided tunnel vision for this government. You have become hard-headed and do not wish to hear our pleas."

Nicole lead the Freedom Fighters into the Royal chamber of Castle Acorn.

"It seems things aren't going to well." Nicole summarized.

"You have lead us to no other choice than this." said Hamlin. He reached for his waist.

"He's got a weapon!" yelled Sonic. He blasted over to the pig and knocked him down. He planted his foot on the pig's back and stuck his hands on his hips.

"Hey yo birdlegs! Your shoelace is untied." Sonic insulted.

"Sonic get off of him!" Sally stressed. Tails sped over and shoved Sonic off of Hamlin and helped him up.

"Yo Nicole who is this guy?" asked Sonic.

"I am Hamlin, the director of Democratic Affairs here in New Mobotropolis. I was just about to threaten a petition, not a weapon, to the king and queen when you so cutely interrupted."

Sonic snorted at the pigs name.

"Your names Hamlin?" he asked.

"That's it." Amy grabbed Sonic's ear and drug him away.

"We're sorry sir, we will try to keep him out of political affairs." said Tails before bowing.

"A petition then?" King St. John stood up. "I laugh at the thought."

Hamlin and the silent Archie slouched a little bit.

"I doubt you will get the people to recognize your little piece of paper. Be gone now, you are stinking up my quarters." King Geoffrey waved them off. The two started leaving for the door.

"At least be some sort of respect to them." Sally insisted.

"I can't show respect for people who want my job." Geoffrey shot back.

"Is everything okay Queen Sally?" asked Nicole.

"We'll talk about this later." Sally whispered. "Everything's fine Nicole. I believe we have defended their first session pretty well."

"I am glad to hear." said Nicole. "I have brought the Freedom Fighters here as you both have requested."

"Thank you Nicole." said Sally. "Welcome back team."

"Princess." Sonic crossed his arms.

"We have returned with bad news." Tails started. "We have an incomplete mission to report."

"Incomplete!" Geoffrey erupted. "What do you mean incomplete?"

"It means there were certain factors within the team that prevented the mission from going any further." Tails started. He turned to look at Sonic and gritted his teeth.

"What happened?" Geoffrey stood up.

"Shadow happened. He intercepted and injured multiple members of my team. We had to break and recuperate. Before we had a chance to leave out we were called back."

"Nicole said you had been separated at one point."

"The healthy were sent to gather supplies in West Side Island." Tails explained.

The King sat down, unpleased with what had occurred.

"We as a team have decided to halt the operation to invade Robotropolis in order to hunt down Shadow the Hedgehog."

"He is after all a wanted criminal within New Mobotropolis' ranks. We approve the mission." said Sally. "Take whatever time you need to rest for the next twenty-four hours. You leave out tomorrow with a new formation in order to capture the black hedgehog."

"Thank you for hearing us out." Tails said before bowing again.

"You are dismissed." said Sally. The Freedom Fighters start to walk out of the chambers.

"You are too easy on them Sally-girl." King Geoffrey stated. Sally didn't even hear as she was focused on the blue hedgehog leaving the chambers. His tail was swinging with every step he took.

"Sally!" Geoffrey practically yelled.

"Yes." Sally adjusted.

"You are home!" Antoine exclaimed before hugging Bunnie.

"I'm more happy than a cow getting her udders pulled, if you know what I mean." said Bunnie. She kicked the door closed as the others in her team walked on through the apartment halls.

"Later guys." said Rotor hopping into his apartment. All that was left was Sonic and Amy.

"You wanna come in, I'm thinking about making some food." asked Amy.

Sonic recalled the last time he tried her cooking and readily backed out.

"No thanks Amy, I gotta very important person I gotta see." Sonic walked past Amy.

Sonic walked past Amy and then went into a full on sprint to get away. He almost instantly appeared in the stool of a chili dog stand.

"I see my nephew hasn't lost a beat." said Uncle Chuck turning around. They began to converse well into the night about the latest mission Sonic just underwent. They went over what happened in that five year span and reminisced over the good times they shared.

"Aww man that was great…" Sonic said after a few chuckles. He looked to his left and saw Tails standing there.

The silence between them was eerie.

"Ahh Tails." said Sir Charles as he turned around. "Pull up a stool. What can I get for you?"

"The usual, Uncle Chuck." said Tails as he sat on the stool next to the blue blur.

"Same here, unc." said Sonic.

The three begin to talk and share adventures when they were younger. They told hilarious stories about traveling through Oil Ocean or traveling through carnival zone. And they told the dramatic stories of going through wing fortress and in the Death Egg Launch Base.

In fact it was all they talked about.

By the time they were done they realized they wouldn't be well rested enough to meet in front of the King and Queen. So they said their goodbyes to Sir Charles and headed back to the apartments where they stayed. They didn't make a sound as they walked.

Sure enough the tension was still there.

They make their way up to their rooms without even saying good night.

Sonic enters his next-to-empty apartment and kicks off his shoes and heads for bed. He put his shoes in the closet of his room when he heard it. It was slight but unmistakable. Someone was here.

The ninja slammed Sonic against the closets sliding wooden doors. She went to grab his arms when he spun her off of him. Sonic grabbed his shoes sped past the kunoichi and slid to the front door. He remembers the wooden floors this time.

"I don't know what you want lady, but you ain't gettin' it." said Sonic after he threw his shoes on. The ninja lifted her hand when Sonic tensed up. He was gently nudged to the front door when the ninja started to approach again.

"All I want is you." she said.

Sonic started to struggle as she got closer. She used her free hand to pull down the mask covering her jaw as she approached Sonic's mouth. They kissed for the second time in a setting like this.

This time Sonic found it unmistakable – undeniable even. He succumbed to the kiss as he felt control over his body now. They fell to the floor still kissing when Sonic reached for the mask. He touched it when a powerful band of static electricity surged through his body.

Her finger wave indicated a no.

She grabbed the back of his head and they kissed and went further…

Shadow stands over the one that had targeted him secondly. This one was of the E-series too. Its codename was Delta. It was one of the remnants that never truly died from a past Sonic Adventure. Now it was still continuing its mission. Finding and destroying a certain hedgehog.

This time, however, its mission came up short. Shadow stood over it in the heat of a volcano. Its heat shields were dying and it was steadily melting against the intense heat.

"Where is the next?" asked Shadow.

"He awaits your arrival at the bottom of the ocean in the Egg Carriers remains."

"Sending gathered data to next captor. Data Sent." Delta stated. "Initiating Self-Destruct."

" Chaos Control." said Shadow.

The explosion was sent to another part of Mobius along with the shattered pieces of an E-series robot.

"I hate," started Shadow. "I hate wild goose chases."

"I'm glad you all could make it this morning." Sally smiled.

"Where's his majesty?" asked Bunnie.

"I don't know." said Sally, "But who cares. Now I thought about this mission all last night and I figured out some ways…"

"Ahem." Nicole sounded.

"Well Nicole and I figured out some ways you guys could go on your Shadow investigation and capture."

"I'm just gonna kick some mondo booty like I always do." Sonic smirked toward Amy and Rouge.

"What are the details?" asked the young fox.

"Basically start your search in Station Square, see what you can find there. I remember we recruited Shadow from someplace called Prison Island. Nicole informed me that instead of using teams and people they use military force there. After all it is the top nation above us."

"And that Robotnik guy." said Sonic.

"Yes Robotnik too." Sally said with some annoyance. "But I'm sure from these things we can decipher just where Shadow came from and where he has been and will go."

"If we come up with any other ideas we will be sure to contact the teams receiver." said Nicole.

"And as far as teams go I tried not to disappoint." said Sally.

The Freedom Fighters perked up and tried to look presentable in order to be selected by the queen.

Sally began. "Leading the team is Miles "Tails" Prower of course second is Amy Rose, third is Rotor and the fourth…"

"I'm here." she stated while bursting the doors open. She wasn't in a rush or anything as she sloppily walked toward the front of the chamber.

Antoine jumped in front of his wife and grasped his sword.

"I will protect my sweet." he said.

"And this is the fourth." Sally stated. "Cream the rabbit."

"Cream!" Amy exclaimed. "What are you doing back!?"

Cream sort of smiled and conceded to hugging Amy.

"I needed a place to stay." she reasoned.

"And the fifth will be Bunnie Rabbot." said Sally.

The crowd of Freedom Fighters looked on questionably as Sally assured herself it would be the right decision. Sonic, Rouge, Antoine and Bunnie all approached the Queen.

"Yeah I don't think that's a good idea." said Sonic.

"You know the girl has more malice than a rogue bronco! Why would you do this?" asked Bunnie.

"I am afraid I have to agree my Queen, I am concerned for my wife's safety." Antoine stated.

"Why was I left out of the mission? I have plenty of experience traveling with that traitor-hog. I should be the one to go!" Rouge complained.

"Okay, okay, okay!" Sally broke down. "A few changes have been made. In place of Rotor Rouge the Bat will be going and in place of Bunnie will be Sonic the Hedgehog."

"I always get snubbed." Rotor complained. "Looks likes we're holding the front lines, eh 'toine?"

"Don't count me out eh Rote?" said Bunnie.

Sally sighed as Nicole approached.

"I believe I can take things from here." said Nicole.

"Would you? Please?" Sally said with a little stress behind it.

"Follow me, Freedom Fighters." said Nicole as she lead the team out of the castle.

"Hey it's birdlegs!" Sonic said as Hamlin and Archie enter the castle. The pig disregarded the ironic comment on his legs and stormed right up to the queen.

"What is this?" he yelled. He threw down a folder with pictures flying everywhere from it. They were pictures from a few days ago. They were showing Hamlin and Archie conversing in a private establishment. Antoine went and picked up the folder and handed it to the Queen.

"I don't know what these are." said Sally.

"Is there a problem here?" said Nicole popping in front of Hamlin.

"Those are pictorial evidence that should have never been captured!" Hamlin started. "Along with those pictures is an audio CD that recorded our conversation. Someone was spying on us!"

"Perhaps it is your neighbor Mr. Hamlin." said Sally with a smile on her face.

"No your majesty, no it is not my neighbor. It is someone with the power of omnipotence within the King and Queen's hands."

"Are you insinuating that Nicole, the one whom keeps this city under veil is spying on you?!"

"Yes, Queen Sally, Yes I am!"

"You make a mockery of this chamber and mostly of yourself!"

"Then why do these records indicate that Nicole's ethical programming was turned off not even a week ago? How can you explain that?"

"Where did you get that information?"

"I'm telling everyone that Nicole is using this city as her own test lab. She wants to examine and eventually test on us in order for her to become like us! She has no right to perform espionage. In fact she is only a computer who shouldn't have any jurisdiction with the court at all."

Sally, Nicole, and the Freedom Fighters were in shock. This was really happening.

"I demand that Nicole and the Holorealmatic projection program be indefinitely suspended pending the agreement of Democracy in New Mobotropolis."

**Oh Shoot! I Did NOT See That Coming! Stay tuned for the next issue of Sonic 51. Shout out to Wolvmbm for support and Dark Fox Tailz for wanting more of the art which you can still find at /Givannivan. For now I'm our and wait for Sonic 51 #13 to come out.**


	13. It's All In the Hero's Job Description

It was kind of weird now.

The past few missions they were on involved just the team. A squad of five people braving the elements, now the only element they would be facing was the hardened concrete ground.

"Things have definitely changed since last time." said Sonic turning to see all the buildings around. "The Station Square I knew does not look like this!"

"Great he's freaking out again." said Cream, "Somebody get the morphine."

Amy over-laughed and nudged Cream in the arm.

"Your so funny." Amy wiped a tear before grabbing Sonic. "C'mon Blue things haven't changed that much.

"That car just floated by, you can't tell me that's not a change." Sonic smirked.

"I hate this place." Tails and Rouge pouted. They looked at each other and Rouge smiled.

"Shadow came here when he was released from the lab he spoke about. This is the city where we met." Rouge explained. "Such bad memories."

"I didn't like the place 'cause they never had the slushy flavor I liked." Tails' reason suddenly started to feel miniscule.

"That was awfully rare." Rouge thought. "Was that a bit of a comedic side?"

"So where are we headed in the city?" asked Sonic. A car spun out of control and went for the five on the sidewalk.

"Crap." yelled Tails. He leapt in front the car and started forcing out magnetic waves. "Magna Fox: Repel!"

"Don't there's someone in there!" yelled Amy. The civilian car hit Tails hands and slightly slid away as a result. The car causing the trouble sped up and past the team. It had multiple G.U.N. cars and robots flying after it.

"No one throws cars at Sonic the Hedgehog!" he announced while on top of the bystanders car.

"Sonic NO!" Tails commanded. The Blue Blur became his nickname and darted after the robots.

"That freaking idiot! Make sure we don't lose him." Tails barked orders.

Sonic sped through the cavalry of G.U.N. Robots and up to the getaway car.

"Intruder! Intruder! Intruder! Intruder!" many robots stated as they added the hedgehog to the list of offenders.

Sonic smiled and poured on the speed to get in front of the car.

"Sonic Wind!" he said. He slammed his hand into the hood and the whole car split into sections. The jaguars riding in the car tumbled to the streets as the robots quickly surrounded.

"No need to thank me. It's all in the hero's job description." Sonic brushed his shoulders off.

"Vigilante!" The robots turned to Sonic and closed in. The Jaguar thieves started to pounce away when a robot snatched them up in a net. The robots closed in on Sonic and launched the nets.

"Sonic." Amy pleaded.

Tails thrusted his hand out.

"Wait for it." he whispered.

"You guys are wasting all of the confetti on me?" Sonic clutched his hand to his chest. "You guys are too good. Sonic Tornado!"

The nets flew up in a flurry and covered over the robots. The nets got scrambled up in their propulsion jets and they hit the ground hard.

"Signaling motorcade." the robots chimed in.

"Are you stupid or something?" Cream dropped next to Sonic. "Every Fighter in the core knows that we're not supposed to attract attention in Station Square."

"Sonic, c'mon we need to lay low." Amy grabbed his hands.

"I hate this." Tails stated.

"Please move your vehicle or have it crushed in the process." yelled a voice through a bullhorn.

"Crap! Move!" yelled Tails. He darted past Sonic with the others close behind.

"What's goin' on?" asked Sonic.

His eyes grew wide.

It came smashing around the corner with huge treads. It was G.U.N. truck with a couple of Soldiers operating the thing. Its bumper nearly graced Sonic's hide before he high tailed it and ran. The truck went into overdrive and was matching Sonic's pace. Sonic took a huge right when the truck ducked past the corner.

He maneuvered around the city and caught up with the team.

"What the F is that!" Sonic screamed.

"G.U.N. has been trying to round us up ever since we stole a few image emitters from them." Tails explained.

"Now that sounds like the Freedom Fighters I know!" Sonic yelled. The truck stopped before the speedsters and closed off the intersection tightly.

"That's why? For all this time?" asked Rouge.

"We're really sorry if it helps." Amy said. The Freedom Fighter screech to a halt and begin to turn back when a fleet of walkin mechs rained down from the sky and onto the pavement.

"This is so right up my alley!" Sonic exclaimed. "I can take 'em all."

The soldiers in the truck didn't move. They were probably taking down the description or cowering behind the bulletproof glass.

"Send in Omega." said one of those soldiers.

Rouge gasped.

"What is it Rouge?" asked Tails.

"We need to run." she stated.

Sonic smirked.

"No one's running." he shot back.

"He'll kill us all." she stated.

"I was at the meeting today." said King Geoffrey St. John. "There was talk of rebellion in my city."

The skunk stormed in and set his crown down on the bed. His wife was sitting in a chair across from the foot of the bed. There were used tissue all around and tears falling from her face.

"It's worse than that." said Queen Sally St. John. The King turned to Sally and his face contorted as if he were smelling something bad.

"You know I do not like bad news."

"They're threatening Nicole's deactivation… if we don't concede to their demands."

"Dammit, Sally!" He raged. He threw a small fit and picked up his crown again. "I have to do everything myself don't I!"

"Geoffrey, they had solid evidence against Nicole's codes. We have to do this."

"Nicole will face deactivation!"

"No!" Sally stood up with more tears falling from her face. "Nicole is my best friend, she's been there before the village, before the freedom fighters, before you! I won't. I can't let you kill my friend."

Geoffrey rushed Sally and hugged her. His voice became soothing like an ocean breeze.

"Ssshhhh… Relax Sally-girl, your strong you can make it through this."

"I don't know what to do without her. I love her so much."

"Don't worry, my love, after a few days you will adjust to how things will be without her. Make due with the time you have now."

The King released Sally from his arms and walked out of the room.

Sally lay there on the floor not feeling any better about the situation. In fact she was worse. She fell into depression.

She knew she would be restless for the next couple of hours. She didn't have much time before her husband would make some sort of action. She slightly rose from her depression and grabbed the cloak in her closet.

Sonic and team took a step back.

This was the first they've seen any robot like this.

"What is this Rouge?" Sonic wanted to quiver.

"This is E-series robot E-123 codenamed: Omega." Rouge explained.

"Stand down, life-forms. I do not wish for the others in my battalion to clean up so much blood."

"A warning huh?" Sonic stepped forward.

"One more forward advance and you will meet my cannons."

"It doesn't talk like other robots." Tails scoffed.

Omega's hand turned into a machine gun when Tails jumped out in front.

"Get out of here." said Tails. Bullets rained from Omega's gun as the others started to book. Sonic however was enjoying the show. The bullets were deflecting from Tails' Magna Fox Attack.

"Sonic Wind." yelled Sonic as he leapt over his comrade with the wind swirling in his hand.

Omega raised a force field around him and loaded a rocket launcher in his opposing hand. Sonic bounced off of the field and onto the ground when the rocket fired.

"Ahh!" he yelled. He got to his feet and in a dash in an instant. The rocket couldn't make the turn like true blue and it smashed a huge hole into the truck beyond.

"Thanks Cream!" yelled Sonic.

"You owe me!" she bluntly stated. She walked toward Omega and raised her hands. She was almost in range when Omega tore through his arsenal and found a deadly attachment. He aimed toward Cream and launched a series of uncountable unpinned grenades. Cream had to focus on catching them all within her control field or else it would be curtains. She also had a time limit to work with as well.

"Don't worry child I got you." Rouge intervened.

"Crystal Rouge!" she chanted. She directed her hands toward the young bunny and she was crystallized in an instant. The grenades drop to the floor and explode in a flurry of debris. Tails Sonic and Omega were interrupted by the explosion and sent packing toward the fleet of walking mechs. Tails and Sonic got upright and looked around. The whole fleet of mechs were in the same color scheme as Omega was and the colors went on for a city block. Sonic was smashed hard into a machine as Omega reeled his wrecking ball hand back.

"Miles Per Hour!" said Tails. Omega felt his systems start to slow down in their functioning. He was nearly paralyzed with each passing second.

"Lightning's Tail." he yelled. He turned his finger and thumb up and held onto his wrist and he pointed his hand, shaped like a gun, toward Omega. The ball of lightning started to form when Omega vanished.

"What happened?" thought Tails. The young fox was then smashed with a wrecking ball attachment too. Omega appeared from his cloaking and walked to tower over the pair.

"It was nice to meet you two." Omega said while turning his hands into machine guns again.

"That's!" started an old animal's voice. Omega paused and took a few steps back.

"That's enough Omega." said the old tiger. He was in high-officers gear with many badges and ribbons from his suit coat. He was tiger and a tall one at that. His stripes were old and grey and his threatening teeth filed down from usage. The most distinctive thing was his eyes. His right was brown and his left was blue.

"Commander? I am not computing." Omega pleaded. "You said I was to spatter their brains."

"No Omega that's only for that one mission."

"I got you!" Amy fell from the sky with hammer first. She swung violently and smashed Omega on the top of his head. Omega didn't even flinch but kept his conversation going.

"Yes, Commander Tower. I remember now." said Omega. "Then this is not the hedgehog?"

"Hell no soldier. This is a fine outstanding member of the New Mobotropian civilization. Omega this Miles "Tails" Prower and his team of Freedom Fighters."

"Freedom Fighters?" Omega turned to look. "How could I not process this any sooner? There is creative Cream, and the seductive Rouge, and the fierce Tails, and the incomparable Amy."

"Glad to be noticed." said Amy polishing her hammer.

"And this is…" Omega turned toward Sonic. "Who is this?"

Sonic fell to the ground.

"Surely you know who this is." the commander approached.

Sonic stood proud again.

"Uh… who is this maggot?" asked the commander.

Sonic fell to the ground again.

"This is the Hero of Knothole…" Tails started.

"Sonic, Sonic the hedgehog." he said. "Faster than lightning, quieter than a mouse."

"Oh this is Amy Rose's cousin." Omega interjected. Amy rushed over to hold back an extremely irate Sonic the Hedgehog.

"Forget about him he's obviously worthless." said the commander. "I really want to talk to Tails here."

"Yes, Commander Tower." stated Tails.

"Now I've noticed you like machines so much you have conjured up a few of mine."

"I'm sorry sir." said Tails. "I promise to…"

"Nonsense youngling." Commander Tower interrupted. "You see I have been recently appointed to head up a fugitive who had terrorized this fare city not too long ago."

"Your still chasing the dream eh Commander?" Rouge smirked.

"I'll get to you in a second, miss slapstick agent for hire." Tower shot back. "I have deal I'd like to cut with you especially since you're here trashin' my machines and whatnot."

"We uh… actually don't have any time for things like that at all so we'll be cruisin'" stated Sonic as he started to walk off.

"You know you're startin' to look an awful lot like that black hedgehog we've been searchin' for."

Sonic turned around.

"You're looking for Shadow?" asked Tails.

"You bet your ass I am." said Commander Tower.

"Nicole." said Sally approaching her console.

"I'm afraid it has begun." she said from the speaker of a nearby screen. "They've already cut my access to the real world. The next severance will be my personality and appearance."

"Nicole I can save you." Sally started clicking away at the keyboard.

"Please do not get yourself into trouble for my sake." Nicole semi-pleaded.

"Nicole don't…"

"Princess Sally, you are my master and my favorite Mobian of anyone else. You have a special file in my hard drive that no one will be able to send to the recycling bin."

"How will this place be the same without you?"

"It will remain the same, all you have to do is remember."

"I will."

"Yes. Memories will remain with you but what I speak of is regarding my own well being. All you have to do is remember."

"Just tell me."

"I cannot. My statements are being monitored at this very second. I will just have to trust that you can remember."

"I swear I will. For the sake of New Mobotropolis I will."

"I… believe you can do this. I am loading one final holorealmatic process."

"What is it?"

Nicole appeared before Queen Sally but was fuzzy and static like a bad television.

"This is all the power I could spare." Nicole held her arms open wide as she approached Sally. Sally spouted tears from her eyes as they embraced in a hug. It was the closest they have been in a long time.

"The city has been divided, Queen Sally. Some are for Hamlin and his cause and some are for the Crown's cause. I am instructing you to be careful and remember. Be careful of the Reckoning as well, I still don't know what that is."

"Nicole I will miss you."

"I wish I had more time… to spend with everyone."

The holorealmatic image rippled and faded away leaving Queen Sally in more ways than one.

"Sal, ya'll are okay down there?" asked Bunnie. She had been standing guard while Sally and Nicole said their goodbyes.

"Yes Bunnie, I'm… fine."

"Well, don't count your chickens before they hatch. We got a li'l ol' problem up here."

Sally rushed up the stairs and saw the unexpected.

A huge mob of Mobians were marching toward Castle Acorn. They wielded torches and clubs as they angrily march toward its exterior. Leading the way were Hamlin and Archie, the directors of New Mobotropolis' Democratic Affairs Committee. In one hand was a signed-sealed-delivered petition for King and Queen to step down as acting leaders and in the other was burning torch.

**That chapter was full! My hands hurt from all that tying. Nonetheless babes and babettes will look forward to chapter 14 of the groundbreaking series Sonic 51. Until next time………………**


	14. I'd Just Juice 'Em and Reduce 'Em

New Mobotropolis was still being hidden under the veil that Nicole provided although without her personality backing things up it was just another machine. Within the veil however there was much danger.

New Mobotropolis was on the cusp of a civil war.

King Geoffrey St. John and Queen Sally St. John's rule was being tested by Hamlin and Archie, directors of the New Mobotropian Democratic Committee. Their goal was to have everything decided polls and petitions from the citizens. The whole city would become judge, jury, and executioner. Maybe it was good idea for Hamlin and Archie's perspective.

Hamlin and Archie saw that Knothole was invaded and destroyed two times before the crown did anything about it. They endure the invasion of Dr. Robotnik five years ago, Shadow's attack three years ago, and Robotropolis' expansion two years ago. The crown of the Acorn was an unstable one in that period but maybe the democrats could change things. The people needed to voice things and they needed to be involved. This is what Hamlin saw but maybe it was a bad idea.

From the crowns perspective Knothole had improved from each attack. When Robotnik invaded they were caught by surprise, all of the villagers captured, and facing robotization in minutes. If not for Sonic, Knuckles, and Geoffrey St. John they would metal creations by now. And when Shadow attacked there were only injuries to report and very minimal death toll. And everyone in the village survived the expansion by ducking away in lower Mobius. All of those acts were handed down through swift action from the royal staff or by Princess Sally herself.

The people were caught in the middle, forced to chose a side. They were shielded by the crown but spied upon too. And this Hamlin hasn't done anything but cry and moan over things here. Both sides needed work and in turn the people turned confused and chose sides. It resulted in Civil War.

Sally was being pushed and shoved through the crowd but not for long. Bunnie and her husband, Antoine, were doing some major crowd control to stop the commoners from laying their hands on the Queen.

"Just a minute Miss royalty we'll have you at that door in no time." Bunnie eased on Sally's emotions. She was still distraught from her best friends deactivation.

Antoine threatened his sword to multiple animals in the crowd as they stepped back.

"You better respect my blade." Antoine held his head up proudly. Bunnie opened Castle Acorns doors and let the three in. The mob tried to enter but was cancelled by Bunnie's own strength. She closed the doors on multiple peoples faces.

"Woo that was tougher than cow's leather jacket." Bunnie exclaimed. Sally ran up the thick red carpet and saw King Geoffrey St. John sitting calmly on his stoop.

"Geoffrey." Sally started.

"How many are out there?" asked the King.

"More than half of the city wants to hear from us."

"Then let them in." said the King.

"Their going to tear us apart.

"Sir Antoine D'Coolette." called the King.

"Yes, your majesty." Antoine answered swiftly but turned his nose upward.

"Assemble your staff. Keep them at bay. Miss D'Coolette can you please open the doors."

"If ya'll say so."

Bunnie opened the doors and was rushed by the mob. They started throw the torches indoors when multiple arrows started to deflect the clubs back into the crowd. Antoine just finished speaking into the microphone in his jacket when multiple Royal Guards appeared from nowhere. They were dogs, coyotes, jackals, hyenas, foxes, and the occasional puma all dressed with red and blue fabric and wielding swords and arrows. They lined a serious of arrows before the King and Queens throne to stop the running mob.

"Anyone crossing this line is getting shot down, kapeesh?" one of the guards yelled out. A few brave mobsters crossed the line and took some arrows in the arms. They weren't killed but seriously had to reconsider their ability to follow orders.

"Have a seat my queen." Geoffrey nearly whispered to his wife. He got up and posted hands on hips.

"Will Hamlin please step forward?" asked the King.

The people started to get nudged by as Hamlin and Archie made their way to the front.

"Please step forward past the line of arrows." said Geoffrey. Hamlin bravely stepped forward and cleared his throat. "Now tell me again what you have to say."

"I, Hamlin Chopper and my colleague Archie Pennington have a petition filled to the max agreeing for you to step down as figureheads of New Mobotropolis. In light of recent espionage tactics from Nicole we can longer trust your rule over this city. It has had too many destructive natured ones in these walls and we, the people, cannot stand for that kind of injurious action."

The mob behind started to raise their torches and yell in agreement.

"We propose that the people make the decisions and the people become the leaders." Hamlin smirked.

The King wore the same unaffected scowl on his face as Hamlin talked.

"Sally do you have anything to say?" Geoffrey asked. Sally looked to the people and curled up in her chair.

"You all have take away someone very dear to me. My friend was our city's guardian and you all pressed down on her for one mistake. Aren't we all imperfect? Don't we all make mistakes. Don't side with something just because you feel threatened take the time and learn what you are doing before you breaking someone's heart…"

The mob fell silent.

King Geoffrey turned his face upward and then rolled his eyes. he stepped forward reclaiming the spotlight.

"It's obvious that the Queen has become too mentally unstable to speak. Does any other leader have anything to say before I say my wishes?"

Archie stepped forward.

"All we want is equality, even if it means complete levelness among the city. That's all we ask for."

King St John nodded.

"This is my Kingdom, I refuse to step down."

He went back to his throne and pulled out a weapon. He aimed it toward Archie and unloaded many arrows from the crossbow. Archie the porcupine fell to the floor after the King pummeled him before the crowds.

Sonic dropped down first. The place was dark, dank and a little stinky. It smelled like stale air and a hint of dirty water. Soon after Tails landed next to the hedgehog and surveyed the surroundings. He hadn't been to this place but only heard of it from news reports he transmitted from Station Square. Amy slowly dropped down with Cream controlling them both. The place was dark and hard to navigate through. Rouge glided down and stepped forward. She was the only one who could see perfectly in the dark as she led the way. She attuned her ears to make sure they were the only ones making the noise. She heard a sound and started to focus in when Omega dropped down. Rouge's concentration was shattered.

"Scans indicate we are alone in this place." said Omega.

"Thank you tin-can." Rouge shot out.

"Why is Omega here again?" asked Cream.

"Commander Tower said we should be able to find some leads about Shadow here underneath Prison Island and as long as we are tracking Shadow Omega will accompany us."

"I am retrofitted to counter all Chaos abilities he posses." Omega added.

"So we can corner him by only letting him use his Kinetic Energy powers?" asked Amy. "That doesn't sound like a fair trade."

"I know Amy but it's what we have to deal with."

"Whoa, whoa, time out." Sonic blurted. "You mean Shadow's got two sources of power?"

"Duh, blue balls." Cream rolled her eyes.

"In a nutshell yes." Omega started. "Because of Shadow's abnormal amount of Chaos Energy he can use its invisible force to attack and move himself through time space. And it doesn't help that when he bonded with an emerald he gained Kinetic Motion powers as a result."

"SO basically you guys created a guy whose gonna be a challenge to me, eh?" Sonic smirked.

"Sonic, Shadow is dangerous."

"He's a joke! A beat him in ten seconds flat." Sonic stated.

"You have no idea what you're up against!" Tails turned around. He stormed right into Sonic's face. "If he get's the courage he'll come straight through New Mobo and wipe us all out! He has that kind of power."

"I'm not scared of Shadow! I'd just juice 'em and reduce 'em."

"Ugh… you're too stupid to know how to be scared." Tails summarized.

The Freedom Fighters plus Omega continued their way through the remains of Prison Island. An explosion a few years ago rendered this place uninhabitable for many years. The entire island was condemned and in turn owned by G.U.N. There weren't too many thorough investigations on it but that was about to change today.

"Amy could you do the honors please?" asked Tails.

"Roses Thorn!" she yelled. She smashed a solid metal doorway clean open. She ripped the metal out the way and proceeded through. It was another shaft that leads downward. This place was so deep underground it would take years to make this in secret.

"There's something down there!" Omega and Rouge stated.

"Rouge, who is it?" asked Tails.

"No time we must act!" Omega jumped down the hole.

"That pile of scrap!" Tails said before following down the shaft. The other Freedom Fighters followed the leader as Sonic stepped back. They were falling in darkness for a while when they caught a spec of light at the bottom. The rose enveloped them and then they landed. It was a vast room with a super computers console in the middle and the remains of a robot on the other side. Between the robot remains and the Freedom Fighters was an E-series robot and the fugitive himself.

"Shadow!" Tails yelled. "I've finally caught you!"

The black hedgehog turned around and faced the five.

"No you haven't." said Shadow.

New Mobotropolis was in an uproar.

The King just committed homicide in front of everyone and now he was running away with a hostage.

"Put me down!" yelled Queen Sally. The chipmunk was slung over the King's broad shoulders as he barreled down the catacombs of the palace.

"This wasn't part of the plan." Geoffrey mumbled.

"Put me down!" Sally yelled again. Geoffrey set Sally down when she slapped him hard. She continued to beat on him even further when the King grabbed her arms.

"What are you doing?"

"I don't even know who you are anymore!"

"Everything I've worked for is becoming ruined."

Sally tried to release her arms from his grasp.

"I'm trying to make this a better world for us, darling."

"You just killed someone, someone who only wanted peace!"

"He was… a necessary stepping stone. Of course it won't matter when we are tried and executed for our treason.

Sally whipped her hands back to her side.

"Our trial? Our treason?"

"Yes Sally, you are my spouse, you will go down with me. That is what marriage is about."

"Who are you?"

"There he is!" Bunnie exclaimed. She was leading a sector of the Royal Guard to find and apprehend King St. John for his actions. The dogs of the guard run for the skunk when he put Sally out of harms way. He caught one puppy and slammed it into the wall and then kicked the other one back.

The King had a few moves.

He threw the dog he had by the throat into his fallen comrade as the third and fourth approached. They rushed him and grabbed his arms when the King raised his knee and got one in the ribs and kicked the other off of him. He clamped down onto the one closest to him and slammed him into the concrete wall. Bunnie flew by in a near instant and grabbed Sally by the wrist. They soared down the hall together and landed a good distance away.

"Eat rocket sugah!" Bunnie yelled. Her arm turned into cannon and launched a missile toward the King. Geoffrey sidestepped the attack as it smashed into the walls. Luckily the guards had skittered away in time to avoid the blast. The hallway was now exposed with many mobsters storming the exposed halls of Castle Acorn.

"They're in here." yelled a mobster.

"Bunnie, run, I don't want you in any of the accusation."

"Alright now Sally-girl, you stay strong and we'll help you any way we can."

"Thank you Bunnie, now go!" Bunnie ran off into the darkness as the crowd started to take the Queen and the King too.

"Something's suspicious." Sally thought. "He put up a huge fight for the royal guard but not for the mob…"

The two were jailed after they were caught and to be interrogated tomorrow morning. The New Mobotropian Civil War ended as quickly as it started but with drastic results changed. The Crown had been split and shattered and the rule of Democracy would begin its tirade. Hamlin would of course be praised especially with the death for his friend being of number one concern. They could almost hear him say "This is what Archie would have wanted". Queen Sally was in shambles, the loss of her friend, her status, her husband seeped to the core of her. Things were going awry in New Mobotropolis.


	15. This is the End

The water rippled.

No. It wasn't rippling, more like a tsunami had just formed. There were huge amounts of water being pushed back from the epicenter. At the core of the attack was the black hedgehog himself. That battle had gone on for far too long.

E-series robot number 105 codenamed: Zeta was an unmistakable presence to be feared. He controlled the whole fallen ship entitled Egg Carrier. Even more impressive was that it was underwater. Shadow faced many cons to the mission but proceeded anyway. He not only sank in water but it didn't stop him. He used his chaos energy to slow down his heart rate and lung intake. He could only last for about a half hour underwater. He had made it to the room where Zeta was controlling everything when the attacks came. Left and right water pressure was changing and explosions at every corner. This machine was the strongest so far.

Shadow felt this had been going on too long and forced out a huge amount of kinetic force. The results were the walls of water towering above. The Egg Carrier was a mess on the seabed and so was E-105 Zeta. Thanks to a previous battle with another E-series robot he had the locale of the second to last: E-101 Beta Mk. II.

"Chaos Control." said Shadow.

He disappeared within his massive amount of Chaos Energy and then reappeared in Westopolis. This city was also under rule of Guardian Units of Nations also known as G.U.N. He had uncovered Beta was hacking into their mainframe and stealing data. The information was being leaked back to a source. Shadow utilized his Chaos Control and teleported into a computer mainframe of a G.U.N. outpost on the eastside. There were many busy animals tapping away on keyboards and researching the recent hack.

"We've narrowed it down to thirty locations in the city." called out a pony.

"We're gonna need man power to take all of these places at once." replied a dog. "I'll go tell the commanding officer."

Shadow walked before the darkened room with frightened animal coworkers behind him.

"Sh-Shadow…"

"I need a print out copy of these locations." Shadow demanded.

"Get him!" yelled a brave ox. He charged horns first and slammed into Shadow's upheld hands. The ox was sent from his own power and slammed into the rear wall.

"Rory!" yelled a coworker.

"The printout!" Shadow barely raised his voice. A Opossum handed him a paper and almost immediately after Shadow blasted into a Chaos Control frenzy. He was in a single place in no more than half a second. He was searching for something massive enough to produce a hack to get into G.U.N. He was looking for an E-series robot.

All he wanted was the Chaos Emeralds.

Shadow appeared and right into a battle.

Beta launched hundreds of missiles right toward his two targets. Shadow released some Chaos Spears to counter while his new accomplice launched an energy sprawl in response.

Shadow looked over and saw the red and white chasse. A symbol on his chest read Gamma. He was E-series robot 102 codenamed: Gamma and the last target on Shadow's list.

"Jackpot." Shadow thought. Beta collapsed into arms and torso as the jets started to fly about the room. The arms transformed into cannons and started to individually target the two.

Shadow and Gamma stood back to back dodging the energy cannons of the arms. Meanwhile the torso of Beta was charging a huge attack. Shadow and Gamma fled from the arms assault when the Torso launched a smoke screen.

"Get behind me, Anomaly!" yelled Gamma. Shadow followed instructions when a bubble energy shield mounted around them.

"Keep up!" said Gamma. A rocket booster emerged from his back as Shadow walked to his side.

"You aren't like the others that I've killed." Shadow stated.

"That's because I'm free." replied Gamma.

They blasted about the smoke screen when it all erupted into fire and blazes. The shield around them was absorbing the heat and fire as they moved around.

"Shadow Kinetics!" yelled the hedgehog. He phased through the shield as his short spiny fur started to turn white. He was within the flames as he spotted Beta through it all. The fire started to touch against Shadow's fur as he began to turn red all over. The flames were all absorbed into Gamma's shield and Shadow's body. The black hedgehog took aim at those who occupied the room.

One was a robot who was trying to kill him.

The other was one who was trying kill the other machine.

Both were targets on his list.

Shadow released the energy stored within and shattered Beta to pieces and shards. The metal was burning to a crisp and melting to a liquid. Shadow turned back to his original state as Gamma walked up to him.

"My mission is complete." said Gamma.

Shadow turned to look as question arose in his eyes.

"A while ago I broke free from Dr. Robotnik's control through miraculous loading sequences after coming in contact with a Chaos Emerald. I grew to intelligence and decided to free my brothers from captivity or shut them down if unwilling."

"A noble quest for a machine."

"Do not call me that anymore." said Gamma lifting his arm cannon. "I like to think myself free now."

Shadow nodded.

"I can also relate then. I'm trying to become free as well."

"How?"

"I have also come into graces with the Chaos Emerald's power and lost it almost instantaneously. It was at that moment I felt untied to this world's restrictions and rules. I was as you put it… free."

"Freedom is a feeling no one can take from you." started Gamma. "I will make sure no can take that from my… friend. Tell me friend, what is your name?"

The walking arsenal dropped from a hole in the ceiling and before Shadow and Gamma. It looked as if both Gamma and Omega were shocked to see one another. Before they could even begin to speak, Tails drops in. Quickly surveying the floor Tails starts to build on his electricity.

"Shadow!" Tails yelled. "I've found you!"

The black hedgehog turned around while the rest of the Freedom Fighters dropped in.

"No you haven't." said Shadow.

Tails lost it.

"Fox Storm!" yelled Tails.

"Are you an ally?" asked Shadow.

"I am to be trusted." said Gamma.

Tails had lightning surging from his feet and into a maelstrom around his legs. Omega lunged forward and opened up his machine gun. He focused on the evading Shadow and shot nearly everywhere. Omega switched his weapons to a cannon and fired when his volley exploded almost immediately. Omega finally saw what was going on and saw there was an ally among the ranks.

"Gamma, you traitor!" yelled Omega.

Amy closed in on Shadow and threw a huge punch only to miss.

"Stolen Shadow!" he yelled. Amy connected on her punch as Shadow slid across the ground. He smiled as he pointed his finger as Amy perked up. He was almost like a puppeteer with Amy dancing in front.

Cream went in for a controlling move when she gripped over Amy. Ms. Rose was the new shield for the black hedgehog.

"Chaos Snap!" he yelled. A light blue and magenta flash appeared before Cream as she flew back into the wall. She wasn't hurt since it was just an eruption of Chaos Energy. She had contained the violent part of the attack in a Control Bubble.

"Cream, you okay?" asked Tails.

"What the hell are you doing Tails?!" Cream yelled, "Get Amy out of there!"

"I don't have a clean shot!"

"Then get one!"

Omega crashed his fist against Gamma's head. It wasn't about technology or fire power now. Gamma had the tech, the skill, and the knowledge to negate everything Omega did. Now it was a battle of power and by the looks Omega had it. He kicked Gamma to the corner and switched his hands to a drill attachment and started to puncture Gamma through and through.

"Gamma." Shadow said with slight concern. "Don't make promises you don't intend to keep."

Rouge slammed Shadow with a hard kick.

Shadow pinned against the wall with Rouge hot on his tail. Before she struck again she saw Shadow's heartless stare right into her eyes. Rouge turned upside down and axe kicked Shadow to the ground.

"Shadow's Return!" thought the hedgehog. Shadow perfectly landed on the ground with a white light scanning from the top of his head to the soles of his shoes. The light returned in physical red energy and surged over Rouge's body. She hit the ground hard right next to Shadow. He kicked her to the side as he looked on to Tails.

Cream's Control Bubble popped and released the Chaos Snap right over Shadow's body. Shadow withstood the attack but upon further examination Amy was the one who suffered. She was still under his Stolen Shadow attack.

She was down now.

Shadow kicked her aside next to Rouge as he looked upon Tails even more. The clanging of metal was heard now. The sound was unsettling and the sight was brutal. Gamma was in pieces with his systems barely active.

"Cream it's me and you." said Tails.

"I know." said Cream. "What should we do?"

"Be ready to capture. I'll draw him out."

"You think you have me now Tails?" asked Shadow. "Is that what you're thinking? Your team is out by my hand and soon my numbers will increase."

Tails didn't reply. He simply gritted his teeth.

"Leave yourself out of this, Cream."

"Don't insult me!" Cream gnashed.

"I assume you want to join your mother then." Shadow calmly replied. "Today I end all of your lives. And today I get the Chaos Emeralds. I will be invincible."

"Cream get help." said Tails.

"What about Blue?" asked Cream.

"You!" Shadow erupted. He stepped forward flaring visible Chaos Energy.

Tails turned around to find a smiling blue hedgehog rubbing the underside of his nose.

"Hey guys." said Sonic the Hedgehog.

"You're late!!!" Tails erupted as well.

"Nuh-uh big guy. I've been here protecting Amy and Rouge. Heck, without me they'd be toast right now. And without me Shadow wouldn't be on his butt right now."

Shadow reeled back when Sonic came straight on. Shadow didn't have a chance. He took a massive speed-enhanced punch and flew right into Omega and Gamma.

"Upload complete. Loading new files." said Gamma as his voice faded out of existence.

"Gamma you fool." Shadow stated.

"Sonic Wind!"

Shadow felt the wind slash him hard and pinned him against the wall. The wind withheld even more and split the metal. Shadow was sent into a warehousing area as Sonic quickly chased after.

"Sonic Pinball!" yelled Sonic. He turned old school and started to curl up and rev his speed way up. Sonic blasted through metal crate after crate quickly turning the room into debris. Shadow emerged unscathed and saw Sonic emerging from the previous attack.

"Chaos Snap." said Shadow.

Sonic felt the explosive energy over his body as he flew into the wall. Shadow appeared and held up Sonic by the neck. He reached his right arm back formed a limey yellowy colored energy.

"Chaos Spear!" said Shadow. He lunged the spear forward and impaled it into the wall. Sonic had whipped his body up managed to knee Shadow in the face.

"Hurricane Sonic!" he yelled. Sonic curled the wind into this light blue ball. The room was like a vacuum and Shadow knew something was coming. Sonic cut off Shadow's escape from the hole he created and started to focus on the attack.

Omega punched out Sonic the Hedgehog.

The blue blur hit the ground hard as Shadow smiled. The Sonic Hurricane fizzled out as Shadow looked up. Omega held out a hand as Shadow grabbed it.

"Gamma?" Shadow questioned.

"E-series unit 123 codenamed: Omega is in session." he said. "Shall we destroy these runts immediately?"

"Unnecessary, Omega. This is the end."

"The Chaos Emerald." said Omega.

"Correct." Shadow stepped forward and aimed at Tails. "There will come a time when you will see my true power, Miles, when I collect the seven Emeralds and become free again, I will come for you and desecrate everything you love and hold dear to you."

Tails was shaking with anger.

The girls were coming to consciousness as Sonic was awakening as well.

"Farewell Freedom Fighters." said Shadow. He stood atop Omega and honed on his chaotic powers.

"Chaos Control." he said. They disappeared in a flash as the team got to their feet.

"Tails…" Amy groaned. "Where were you?"

Sonic got up and stumbled back into the room.

Tails shook his head.

"It's not like you to show fear or you know act like a bitch." said Cream.

Tails hung his head way low.

"Does anyone else feel that?" asked Sonic.

"I feel Tails' manliness leaving his body, turns out it wasn't much." said Cream.

"That's enough Cream." said Amy.

"Amy do you feel that?" asked Sonic.

"No Sonic I don't. Let's just go."

The Freedom Fighters leave the scene with heads hung low and defeat over their heads.

Shadow with ally Omega appear in the vacant night streets of Radical Highway. The orange bridge cables were in sync with the orange street lights of the long bridge way.

"Are we here to destroy?" asked Omega.

"You have become more ready-to-kill since your melding with the machine, Gamma."

"Omega."

"I know I know, but were here for a reason." Shadow explained.

The phone started to ring within Shadow's pocket.

"Your mission is complete. Tell me where you're storing the Chaos Emeralds."

"Ahh, Shadow excellent timing. It seems things will go according to plan after all."

"The emeralds?"

"I'm sorry to have mislead you but the E-series mission was just preliminary. True it was to get them out of the way and here is the reasoning. Those particular robots from the Robotnik's Empire are sentient robots. Meaning they are search and destroy robots. The E-series in particular are designed to kill anything from escaped prisoners to hedgehogs. With them out of the way the true mission can now begin and it starts in Robotropolis."

"And my emeralds."

"You will get your precious jewels young hog but for now you require patience. You will get a call when you are ready."

He hung up.

Shadow sighed holding anger back with it.

"He will die when this is over right?" Omega started.

"Of course he will." said Shadow. "Let's go."

Using Chaos Control they disappeared into the night.

**Despite the title it's not the end of Sonic 51. Nuh uh far from it… I mean Robotnik hasn't even spoken yet. LOL anyway check out the next issue which should be coming… soon. Till next time…**


	16. I've Been Thinkin'

"I think this is the time for some answers." said Amy. She looked over her teammates and saw mixed looks. Cream was normal while Sonic was scanning himself over and under. It didn't even look like he was in a fight. Rouge was straight worried. She had never put this much grief on herself at least in a long time. And Tails… Tails was shaken.

He didn't move an inch during their recent confrontation with Shadow.

Amy had learned from Queen Sally to maintain a level head under these kinds of situations.

"Sonic can you help me out here." asked the pink hedgehog.

"No can do, little missy, I've been thinkin'." Sonic stated.

"Well this is new." Cream blurted out.

"It's good that you're thinking Sonic… are you trying to figure out where Shadow is going to be next?"

"I already know that." said Sonic, "But it's about this Chaos Energy thing. I'm just thinking about something that's all."

"And I'm thinkin' about how Tail's acted like a little girl and decided not to help out."

Tails stood there as if paused by a remote.

"I felt his power…" Tails finally spoke up.

The others lifted an ear and tuned in.

"Say what?" questioned Cream.

"Before we engaged Shadow the Hedgehog I felt a spike of his power. Maybe I'm the only who felt it or maybe he only wanted me to feel it."

"Big whoop." Cream mumbled.

"He's leading us into a trap and the bait are the Chaos Emeralds. They're doubling his power while hiding most of it in Chaos Energy. By my guess he's got two in his possession now. He may be on his way to a third and then he'll target us for the last three."

"Four." said Rouge.

"Four what?" asked Amy.

"I have an emerald." said Rouge while unmasking the Amethyst Emerald from her own chaotic energy.

"How long have you had that?" Amy outraged.

"Ever since I left Knothole child, I always figured since the destruction of the village Shadow would need this." Rouge sighed.

"Then our count is four." said Tails. "And when Shadow targets us he wants to leave a wake of destruction behind.

"One transforming hedgehog is enough for Mobius." Sonic chimed. If he wants a battle of invincibility then I'll take it to him.

"We need to get to a stronghold then."

"In other words let's leave this place and head home." said Amy.

"Finally." said Cream.

"No we can't go home." said Tails. "If Shadow targets us there we'll lose too many."

"I've already lost my precious thing; who cares if you all lose yours?" Cream waved off.

"There's always Angel Island." said Rouge. "If our timing is right we can double back to New Mobo if there's danger and we can use some of its zones to our advantage and not to mention the brawler king and queen are stationed there too."

"I like this." said Tails "Then that's the plan.

"I hope it's not part of the plan to cower over another man's power." Sonic posted hands on hips.

"You don't understand." said Tails.

"If you get scared Tails don't just back down, you have to keep fighting… fight for freedom and you'll be just fine."

"I wasn't scared." Tails cringed his teeth.

"Whatever Tails the scared-y cat." Sonic teased before blasting off. The others followed suit and headed toward the east. Their next stop would be Angel Island.

"That's when I fell to the ground. The next thing I remember was waking up a few days later. I was in Dr. Quack's care and recovering from a small coma. I was told they found Sonic who had suffered a major blow. We would later find out he would wake up in about five years. I remember resolving to keep my companions close soon after that. It's crazy what a hopeless love would do to you at that time. Nicole was started on shortly after and within a few years and through destruction and drama she was finished. I remember the first conversation I had with her."

The machine output a holorealmatic image inducer that showed the body of a lynx. Her body loaded upward from her feet and finally capped off at her large ears. She was beautiful for a non-existent being. Sally clasped her hands over her mouth as she took a few steps forward.

"Nicole?" Sally asked.

"Processing." she stated her first words in a new world. "Greeting's Princess Sally. What is my command today?"

"Nicole you're here!" Sally exclaimed in joy. Sally charged Nicole and hugged her tightly. She was a real entity at this point not bound by the walls of a plastic handheld casing.

"Princess Sally I have always been with you even at your earliest age."

"Oh Nicole I'm so glad to see you here."

Queen Sally snapped back to reality. She looked left and she looked right. She was alone in the darkness as she sat upon her pillow.

"What did she mean by that?" asked Sally. She got up and walked to a certain corner of the darkness.

"I wish to visit my quarters now." said Sally with a bit of huff behind her voice.

"There is no way we can do that madam." said one of two coyotes guarding the door. "We don't know if there are any rebels still within the castle seeking to take you out. It's best to stay here for now."

"Then I'll go myself." said Sally easing the door open.

"Your majesty please go back into hiding. It's only for your safety."

"Relax guys I'm a strong queen, I can handle things by myself believe it or not." Sally ran down the hall with the coyote's close behind. She turned a corner and ran another majestic hallway. There were so many twists and turns in this place it was hard to remember every room and corridor. She made a left and saw a couple more of the Royal Guards and heard the King's voice within.

Interrogation was just about to wrap up.

"So you did it all to keep the crown." Antoine stated. "The shame a piece of shiny metal some animals will kill for."

"It wasn't about the trinkets monsieur D'Coolette, by all means it wasn't even about the power."

Antoine raised an eyebrow.

"Have you ever looked down and into the grass or maybe in the corner of your own home? There are usually insects there or maybe even a rabbit. But are they like you are or me? Hardly, you see they live life on instinct as I was. As rodent of opportunity I saw what I wanted and took it. Sure there was an aroma around the castle that wasn't always pleasant but it didn't stop the course of nature."

"Where are you going with this?" asked Antoine.

"Instinct Antoine, instinct. I saw them as a threat and I reacted. So what if a few casualties are along the way, this is the law of nature my fellow coyote and the rule is if you can't beat them, you become prey."

"I hope you know you will be charged and prosecuted for your crimes. The new government and its people have already voted for you to be executed within the next few days." Antoine explained. "I guess the people have deemed you the prey now. Enjoy your last days, King Geoffrey."

Antoine left the room as the Royal Guards stood at attention.

"Antoine…" Sally stated. He looked shocked as he quickly walked to her side. They began to walk down more halls as Antoine waved off the other guardsmen.

"You don't need to worry about that my queen. He admits he was playing this from the start, he just didn't expect an up-rise."

"I guess I have the people to thank then. I want to setup a meeting with Hamlin and get this all straightened out."

"I assume you mean Nicole too."

"Yes, without her we won't be as aware as we usually are and to do that I need to remember." Sally jutted off and ran down multiple halls. She rounded one final corner and upon the hinges of her room. She ran in and open a chest of her keepsakes. She scrambled through most of it when she saw the casing for the original model of Nicole. She looked it over and saw nothing special over it.

She said a quick sorry and smashed it on the ground. The casing broke apart and all of the buttons and modules fell out along with a note. She unfolded it and started to read the familiar handwriting:

"A letter to myself:

If you are reading this Sally then it can only mean a few certain possibilities: one is that Nicole has shut down, two is that the Kingdom has fallen apart, and three is that Robotnik is not too far away. There are three things that need to be changed in order for your present to not become our future.

The first relies heavily upon Nicole, this computer is actually from our time twenty five years into the future. She withholds abundant data that is linked with only you. Of course being the smart queen you are now you already knew this. If Nicole ever faces deactivation simply run a mere diagnostic check: Level 4b I think. It's a decryption code that is lined in with her hard drive. She should activate whatever the cause.

This leads to the second issue which is Robotnik and his regime. He has been going into periods of dormancy at this time only to fulfill his wishes and create a planet of massive proportions all devoted to himself. He has the power to overrun anything we do and at this present time it is very hard to even breathe before we are spotted. There will be one chance to take out Robotnik pending if Sonic makes it through the next struggle alive. Without him your future will be exactly like it is today.

The last is the Kingdom of Acorn. I'm sure at this time you are trying to figure out what to do with your city and do not fret. Instead of resist like I did, join them and become a city of idealism. The perfect persons to do that are the ones who exiled themselves. Search for them and for god's sake give the city it's true name back.

These are only a few subtle warnings from a bleak and dim future from a most radiant queen and flawless in everyway.

Queen Sally Acorn."

"Oh my god…" Sally said through tears. She read the note again and cried some more. She had remembered.

Shadow arrived and this time he was accompanied. His new ally in the fight for personal freedom was at his right hand. Omega quickly flipped his sensors to omnipotent and began viewing. It was like a living graveyard for him. Dead and scrapped machinery as far as the eye could see. If he had a stomach it would churning in disgust.

"Of all places." Omega stared at Shadow.

"Focus Omega, this is only entrance I use that is without cannon fire. Be thankful we are this far." Shadow replied.

"Either hurry this mission up or give me something to shoot."

"Once we get to a directory we'll be out of here and onto the next Chaos Emerald."

Shadow and Omega sped into the polluted air of Robotropolis. They passed many decrepit buildings as the head deeper into the vast expanse of downtown. There was an egg-shaped building in the center of it all and it was the tallest. Most believed that Robotnik was dormant inside but none have ever proven these things. The Freedom Fighters and even Shadow and company wouldn't dare defy the confines of that fortitude but wouldn't think twice about getting into the prison holds.

Shadow and Omega walk the halls of a dimly lit cell block and notice the weird creations afoot. There were animal shaped robots in each of the cells and all inactive. They were the ones that didn't get away. Robotnik of old would scourge the world, enslaving any who resisted his dream. As the last overlander to exist in a world of anthropomorphic beings he felt it his rite to rule over them. One way of doing this was through roboticizing. There hundreds, no thousands of animals all piled in the cells like a game of tetris. It reeked of oils and fluids and hollow sounds of the pairs footsteps rang throughout.

"This is unsettling." Omega finally uttered. "To believe this is my masters work."

"It makes you wonder doesn't it?" asked Shadow.

"What do you mean?" asked Omega.

Shadow crossed his arms and turned around.

"Speak!" Omega pointed a claw in his face.

"Do you know if you if were born or created?" asked Shadow.

Omega didn't process that question. "What?"

"Animals are born… machines aren't. You do the math."

"Are you implying that I am wasn't created? You might as well install me with low grade oil. I usually incinerate people for talking like that!"

"Just giving you something to think about." Shadow stated. "And myself."

They continued into a solitary confined room when Shadow crossed his arms and stopped his treading.

"This is it." Shadow smiled.

"Were activating them?" asked Omega. "These guys?"

"I'm just following the steps to chaos." Shadow turned to Omega.

"I know for a fact that these guys are lethal."

"What information do you have on them?"

Omega stepped toward an outdated computer terminal and inserted a USB cord.

"They haven't been field tested. They haven't been serviced in over four years. No missions. No dated archives. No nothing."

"I don't see any problem, activate them."

Omega shrugged his shoulders and proceeded with commands. He was done on the computer and walked right next to Shadow.

"The worst part about it is…" started Omega. "These aren't technically Robotnik's robots. Sure the design is all that fat bastards and the guts are too but he gave these to somebody."

"Who is it?" asked Shadow.

The pods holding these special robots descend to the floor. One by one they let off old air from their sealed containers. They snarl and growl to life like the four-leggers they were. Then one by one they started to rise to hind legs like the people nowadays.

Shadow smiled and looked to Omega. "I know these fighters. And I know who's been pushing me around this whole time."

"I figured you would."

"Robots, you're coming with me!" Shadow commanded. " I'm taking you to master."


	17. Run Diagnostic: Level 4b

"Well they sure are chummy!" said Cream sipping a drink. She was in her bathing suit and a huge sunhat that shaded her body. She had grown to a bit paler now that her mother was gone.

Rouge however had a mirror on her chest trying to soak up all of the suns rays.

"Huh? What is it?" Rouge awoke from her snore.

"Nothing just watching the show." Cream put on her sunglasses. Rouge sat up and saw Sonic and Amy splashing each other beachside.

"Aww, true love." Rouge stated. "Don't tell me you're jealous."

"Of those idiots? No way old lady. I like the strong silent type."

Rouge put together the clues.

"Don't tell me it's wonder boy over there." Rouge smirked as she looked across the beach to see Tails training among the sand.

"What can I say he's gotten kind of cute now with his fur everywhere and that attitude and he's always brewing with thought."

"Didn't you kind of ya know insult him last time."

"I'm just glad I said something at all." Cream smiled; A rare smile at that.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't able to properly take you under my wing and show my talents. I guess I'll have to train you sometime."

"If I need an old hag's dating tips then I'll have to pass grandma."

Rouge brushed the insults off. "Fine. But don't act like it doesn't work. I mean Amy is in the water with her crush right now."

Cream tipped down her sunglasses. "I know."

"Good try Ames!" Sonic rubbed the underside of his nose. "But I'm just to fast for the splashes."

"You're right." Amy straightened up and kicked up a small wave of water. She started to approach Sonic who was on the sand and smiling as she approached. "Maybe I will just give up."

Amy brushed just enough of her body against Sonic's to make his heart flutter a bit. Sonic went to turn around when Amy clutched Sonic and tossed him into the air. He was sailing high into the air as Amy giggled.

"Gotcha Sonic!" Amy yelled. "Hey!"

"Sonic Tornado." he yelled. A huge wind came from around Sonic and scarred its way into the beach. Sonic perfectly landed in the center of a bowl of sand and brushed off his shoulders.

"Nice try Ames, but like I said: I'm just too fast." Sonic posted hands on hips.

"Rose's Thorn." a faint voice called. Sonic turned around to find a fist protruding through the sand bowl wall. It all collapsed and the water rushed over Sonic.

"Aww they're so cute together." said Rouge.

"Not to me they aren't." said Knuckles arriving on the scene.

"Maybe because you and me made such a cute couple." Rouge whispered.

"That!" Knuckles started and then went into a whisper. "Never happened you crazy lunatic psycho. Rrgh! I'm talking about Sonic and Sally."

"Sonic and Sally had a thing?" asked Rouge.

"Everybody knows about that… If not for this whole mess five years ago they probably would have been inseparable and my man here would be king."

Rouge was disgusted.

"I'm glad that didn't happen. And besides I like Geoffrey, he's so primitive and bold hell, he's got my vote for a another term."

"Both of you are idiots." Cream stated.

"Hey guys, you wanna get some lunch?" asked Amy as she and Sonic approached.

"Knuckles!" Sonic yelled. He zoomed over and stopped right before the King.

"Shouldn't you be, ya know, doing some king things like wipin' the crud from under your nose."

"I got a boogey?" Knuckles whispered.

"Knuckles! Where's Julie-Su?" Amy asked.

"Hmph." Rouge pouted.

"She's in a meeting and I had some free time. Just wanted to know how the preparations were going."

"They've come and gone, child." Rouge explained. "We've already come up with a strategy and everything."

"Ya see, once Shadow comes within the vicinity of Echidnapolis we lure him to the Marble Gardens zone." Amy started. "With Sonic's experience there we were able to find pitfalls and set a few traps to throw him off."

"Sounds good, I may not even have to lift a finger." Knuckles said.

"Lazy." Cream added.

"Where's Tails at?"

"Ever since we got here all he's been thinking about is the run in with Shadow, he's been training ever since." Amy explained.

"Training shmaining, the best experience is right there on the battlefield." Sonic began. "That's where a fighter shows his freedom."

"Let the kid do what he needs to overcome this." Knuckles stated like a big brother. "I guarantee Shadow's gonna have a lot on his plate this time."

"You better believe red, I got some things I wanna say and do also." Sonic chimed in.

"Your highness!" called a servant. "The queen requests your presence."

Cream makes a sound that is like a lash of a whip. "And hurry up!"

Knuckles mumbled under his breath.

"Call me." Rouge whispered.

New Mobotropolis.

Queen Sally Acorn walked through her fair city accompanied by three of her Freedom Fighters: Half-rabbit half-machine Bunnie D'Coolette on her right, the skilled swordsman Antoine D'Coolette on her left and walking armory Rotor Walden bringing up the rear.

Upon Sally's face was smile, a huge one in fact. You see they were heading to the building which housed Nicole's technical makeup. Nicole would be activated this day.

The four arrived at the buildings entrance as Sally started to tear up.

"I'm nervous." Sally laughed.

"Girl don't be, this is just another day, another hour, another minute. Now you march yourself down and talk that techno mumbo jumbo and get our girl workin' again." Bunnie urged her best friend.

"I am thinking along the same lines as well." Antoine agreed.

"And if there's any internal damage to her systems I'm right here to assist." Rotor added.

"Thanks guys, now if you'll excuse me." Sally turned around and opened the door and walked down the steps. She faced a computer console and exhaled.

"Nicole," she started. "Run diagnostic level 4b."

Nothing happened.

Sally placed her hands on her mouth and crouched to her knees.

"You said…" She started to whisper. "You said it would work."

"Processing." a familiar voice chimed in.

"Nicole?" Sally jumped to her feet and placed her hands on the console. She started clicking away at buttons and monitoring the computers.

"Nicole!"

"Queen Sally!" Nicole exclaimed. She appeared in a scatter of checkers with a smile across her face.

"Nicole…" Sally sighed. They hugged and held for a long time.

"You remembered." Nicole stated.

"I'm sorry it took me so long." Sally let go of Nicole. I had to go through all this democratic…"

"My systems are updating themselves as we speak. The government has changed I see."

"New Mobotropolis is a democratic order now." Sally shrugged her shoulders. "And Geoffrey…"

"His trial today and execution tomorrow." Nicole stated. "I am sorry about your husband, my queen."

"Don't be… I still need to get a few things off of my chest about him."

"Sally are ya'll alright down there?" asked Bunnie.

"We're fine. Please come down and see Nicole!"

"Well well you're lookin' finer than a cow after her utters got yanked."

"I appreciate the metaphors as usual Bunnie." Nicole smiled.

"I'm glad I get to talk you right now in private 'cause I didn't want any of the boys to hear this but uh…"

"What is Bunnie?" asked Sally.

"You're pregnant ain't ya?" Bunnie assumed.

Sally looked at Nicole and then back at Bunnie.

"How did you know?" asked Sally.

"Woman's intuition, oh I am so proud of ya'll. A bouncin' baby boy or gorgeous baby girl, Ah am so jealous."

"You're vitals do show you are bearing children." Nicole was checking a sensors and readouts.

"Think about girls…" A Queen just doesn't get pregnant.

"What do ya mean Sal?" asked Bunnie.

"She means this is Geoffrey's litter." Nicole stated.

"Oh." Bunnie sounded.

"I know this may sound cruel but I don't want anything to do with him especially after what he's done to our home. If… if I see his children it will only remind me of this pain." Sally started to cry. "I won't genuinely love them."

"Now now Sally, you're gonna stand up and your keep your head up high as the sky. Don't let this get in the way of anything you have a job to do and you have to raise these kids. By all means we will be there to help you."

"Thank you, girls. I don't know where I'd be without you." Sally expressed. "If you can, could you keep this a secret at least until I feel like telling it."

"This conversation never happened." Nicole agreed.

"My lips is sealed tighter than a jam jar Sally." Bunnie laughed.

"Are all of the things right down here?" asked Antoine. He was surveying the surroundings and gripping over his sword with Rotor just behind him.

"Relax 'toine, we was just catchin' up you know." Bunnie stalled.

"Sally's crying again." Rotor pointed out.

"Since when is she not doing the crying." Antoine sidebared to Rotor.

"Ya'll are more insensitive than two chickens with chicken pox. Now get outta here." Bunnie herded the two out of the room.

"I can give you the sex of your two fetuses and which are of tamias minimus and which are of mephitis mephitis."

"No thank you, Nicole." Sally perked up. "I want it to be a surprise to everyone. Even me."

"My Queen you know I do not like surprises." Nicole pried. "Danger!"

"Danger!" Sally started. "Where?"

"Approaching at approximately 60 kilometers an hour from West North West 18 degrees. Eight entities closing and one is moving too fast to scan in time."

"How much time do we have?" asked Sally.

An explosion was heard up above.

"I will hold off the next eight please assemble a team to take on… Shadow." Nicole informed.

"Shadow? Here?" Sally rushed up from the Nicole's building and saw her friends heading into battle. She started to run after but quickly felt over her budding stomach.

"I can't." she said. "But I can get someone who will. Don't worry guys help is on the way."

Bunnie, Antoine, and Rotor rushed to the scene with Shadow at the epicenter. Nicole appeared right next to Shadow. The black hedgehog didn't bat an eye.

"What do you want?" asked Shadow.

"I'm asking you the same question." Nicole crossed her arms.

"I'm only here to get what I want." said Shadow.

"Who are machines with you, Shadow?" asked Nicole.

"One is my accomplice, the rest are merely deliveries ready to meet their destination. And you further delay them with you machines I will be forced to take drastic action against you and anyone else in my way."

"Shadow the Hedgehog, you are under arrest for the high crimes of obstruction, multiple homicide, treason, and grand larceny." Antoine recited holding his sword erect.

"Ah been waitin' for this for a long time." Bunnie whirled her robotic arm around.

"Don't move, Don't move!" Rotor yelled while holding up a few guns.

"Multiple Chaotic Control!" Shadow yelled. It happened in a blink of an eye but to them it was as if time slowed down. Shadow glided into the air emitting lime colored light. It was spreading from him like huge tentacles and whipping and snapping like crazy. There were eight of them in all and they soon settled around him. It the ends of the light tentacles were growing bulbs of light where something was materializing in the center. Soon as it happened it was over and there were eight entities all around the surrounding Freedom Fighters.

"It can't be…" Nicole stated.

"Oh my stars…" Bunnie recited.

"Omega, cover me." Shadow fell to one knee.

"Shields at 300 percent, initiating transformation." Omega stepped over Shadow and three layers of energy shields bubbled around them.

"Get to your goal!" Shadow exclaimed. The seven released machines scurry and flee through the city pathways and headed for Castle Acorn. Meanwhile, Omega had split his arms in half and pointed them at his oppressors. He had a total of four arms aimed at Nicole, Bunnie, Antoine, and Rotor.

"Who to kill first?" Omega questioned.

"How about me!" Nicole exclaimed as she ran through the first layer of his shields and nullified it. Omega fired a rocket and it easily passed through her surreal body.

"What!?" Omega asked. He turned his head toward the other three when Rotor launched a grenade and fizzled another energy shield.

"Disengaging transformation." Omega said.

Omega reverted back to normal mode when Bunnie's huge mechanical arm slammed against the energy shield and made it blink in and out. With the correct timing Antoine's sword came ripping through the air and smashed right into Omega's shield generator.

"What a team effort." Omega started. He switched his arms wrecking balls with huge chains coming from his inner wrists.

"Get out of here Shadow." Omega began.

"I'm going to go meet my "boss". Don't go dying on me. Chaos Control." Shadow left the scene.

"Find him!" Antoine yelled.

"I'm on it!" Nicole stated.

Angel Island.

The sun was beginning to set on this part of Mobius and two hedgehog's were alone on the beachside among a single chair.

"Oh, Sonic… isn't the sunset just beautiful. I've always pictured this kind of setting… for us. I don't know if you know this or not but I've had a crush on you ever since I laid eyes on you over Never lake. I still can't believe that someone like you existed and was there with and …IS here with me."

Sonic started snoring.

"Sonic!" Amy laughed.

"I hear you Amy… and honestly I never thought I'd be here with you." Sonic started.

"You really know how to charm a girl." Amy started to get out of the chair. Sonic grabbed her arm.

"But I've been alone ever since I woke up and you've been there ya know, aside me. I just want to say thank you."

Amy turned around and knelt over Sonic and placed a kiss on him.

"I guess this makes things official." Amy smiled.

"All we need now is the shirt and the whistle." Sonic smiled. They kissed again as Tails sounded.

"We've got an urgent message from the Queen." Tails started. "Shadow has invaded New Mobotropolis."

Sonic and Amy sprung up from the chair.

"Let's move." Sonic stated.

New Mobotropolis.

Shadow appeared in the confines of Castle Acorn it was eerily quiet among the halls. Shadow dodged to the side as a few Secret Guards passed by. Apparently there were bigger things at hand. Shadow went down the halls and went into a holding cell.

"Hello Shadow." said King Geoffrey St. John.

"This is him?" said a female voice. The were both in the dark with Geoffrey sitting at the table with a shadow over half of his face and the tall slender kitty beside him. She had a master key in her hand as she undid the last cuff. The same shadow was veiling most of her body.

"For what purpose!" Shadow raised his voice. "Do you have me running around the world for your personal gain."

"Relax Shadow…" Geoffrey was calm.

Shadow slammed his hands on the table as the cat woman started to approach.

"Please Shadow, do not be mad at the King, it was my voice you were listening to, through a modulator of course."

"Who are you?" Shadow looked her up and down.

"Hershey St. John. Director of this little escapade." she stated.

"St. John? What about Queen Sally?" asked Shadow.

"Merely a clueless figurehead, We had plans to eliminate her and take the crown for myself."

"Leave Sally out of your games. If I had known this kind of anarchy was going on in Knothole."

"Ah ah ah! New Mobotropolis Shadow, you see this is all my doing, my rule and without her it would for naught. Blokes like you only look out for themselves while I am trying to give a whole new outlook on the world."

"I don't care anymore, where are my emeralds?" Shadow replied.

"You mean the bearers of those gems aren't present."

"What are you talking about?" Shadow asked.

"Tails and the Freedom Fighters? They're not here?" Geoffrey asked while getting out of his chair.

"You mean to tell me the Freedom Fighters are in possession of my goal!" Shadow smashed the table apart.

"Patience Shadow, they will be here, I know it." said Hershey. "Come and see exactly what we have in store."

Shadow followed the couple from the holding cell and into the grand hall of the Castle. There was loads of uproar coming from outside as Geoffrey and Hershey begin to smile. Shadow trailed behind cautiously as the two break the light of sunset.

"People of New Mobotropolis! Your King has returned!" Geoffrey proclaimed. The rogue robots gathered around Geoffrey and Hershey and assumed defensive position. Now in the light of day they became familiar. They were last scene heading to Robotropolis on a scouting mission. They never returned from that mission until today. They still had the same appearance but just in mechanical form. They were the fearsome freedom fighters known for the brawling attitude and snarling ferocity.

The Wolf Pack Freedom Fighters were protecting their King.

**Man that was a loaded chapter! Huge things and info in seventeen. And to all dedicated readers of Sonic 51 I am asking a favor to you. I'm running out of quotes to label my issues so if you have any favorite lines from any of the these Sonic cartoons (Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the hedgehog SatAM, and lines from the Sonic the Hedgehog Archie Series Comics) It would be greatly appreciated if you left in a comment or PM me or email me or something haha. Thanks to all the fans and readers for all the hits and make this and the next HUGE arc a big internet success. **


	18. Let's Do It To It

"And Hurry!" Queen Sally's words transmitted before going into that annoying fuzzy screen. Amy turned the recorded transmission off and faced the other four in her team. Tails was quiet he looked pissed and was ready to go to war.

"He's gone too far." Rouge started. "He's going to have to answer to me now!"

"What's the plan?" asked Sonic.

"We bust in and kill everything in sight." Tails said. "Starting with that hog!"

"I'm with Tails, someone needs to get choked out." said Cream.

"If that's our strategy then we'll work out the kinks on the way." Tails directed. "Let's go!"

Tails blinked away in an instant leaving only a chilly wind. The others followed suit and were off at speeds near three hundred miles an hour.

"Tails, Sonic! Wait up!" yelled Knuckles catching up to them. He was the fourth fastest in the world and quickly passed the girls.

"Where do you need me?" said Knuckles.

"Big Red… I knew you'd pull through." Sonic exclaimed

"Go home Knuckles. I don't want you in any of this." Tails commanded.

"I'd rather not." Knuckles yelled in return.

Tails screeched to a halt and the others did too.

"This is our fight, our kingdom and sanctuary are under attack and I can't risk the life of a King, especially if Shadow is involved."

Knuckles turned his face upward.

"Tails has a point Knux, You stay here and make sure we have a place to vacation too." Sonic said before darting off.

"Selfish!" Knuckles yelled before crossing his arms.

The Freedom Fighters speed off into the Angel Island Zone and before they knew it they were on the ocean of the floating continent. They surface ran over the water until the sky and water started to blend in color.

"Get behind me!" Sonic yelled out. The team followed suit and they were drafting off of each others wind.

"Sonic Wind!" the blue blur yelled.

They blasted off of the Islands surface and were continuing to run across the air. They heard the sound barrier get destroyed shortly after Sonic called out his move. After that the rest is a blur. Sonic kept his eyes focused as they were running on the air turbulence he was creating.

"We're outta juice!" Sonic exclaimed as the wind started to relieve them.

"Grab my hand!" Tails yelled. "Use Tornado!"

"Ah I got'cha." Sonic smiled. "Sonic tornado!"

Tails spun his four appendages around as Sonic activated the wind around him. Tails and the others were sent barreling down into the forest with the wind pulling them down. They were about to splat onto the surface when the wind quickly paused them just inches above the ground. Sonic, having the body to withstand high drops easily landed on the ground when the others stopped their wind levitation.

Sonic turned around to face Tails.

"How'd you do that?" Sonic asked.

"We'll talk later, New Mobo's in trouble."

"Right, we're comin' Sal!" Sonic yelled as the team darted off again.

Castle Acorn Exterior.

"How dare you all try to restrict me to the walls of death. You buggers should be ashamed of yourselves." King Geoffrey paced in front of many important figures among the New Mobotropian community. The police chief was there, the top eight generals were present, and most of the throne's council was there too. Also among the delegates was the director for New Mobotropolis Democratic Committee, Hamlin. They were handcuffed and set upon their knees. These highly respected individuals were being watched by two of the seven robots known as the Wolf Pack Freedom Fighters. At the helm of this disciplinary speech was Geoffrey St. John and behind him were Hershey St. John – his real wife – and Shadow the Hedgehog.

"This is what happens when you try and box in a free thinker. The tables turn and the execution falls on you. Unless…" Geoffrey turned to Hershey and she gave a slow nod.

"Tell me." Shadow started. Hershey was focused on her husband but was still lending an ear to Shadow.

"Why are you doing this now?" asked Shadow.

"Is it because you want to participate or that you want be nosey?" Hershey shrugged off.

"Why go through all of this trouble if the man was already King, is what I'm asking."

"Plans change Shadow. Think of it like this: at first were asking people what to do, gently pushing while still being tactful. We weren't getting all of the respect we deserved and in turn the jobs weren't getting completed."

"So you kill a guy and then take the city over by force."

"Exactly, you see we needed to show them we are the real thing."

"For what reason?"

"Geoffrey wants New Mobotropolis to go to war with Central City and its G.U.N. army."

"That's suicide for this place."

"Precisely, which will leave an opening for _Him_…"

Shadow punched Hershey in the face. The kitty dropped her clipboard and stumbled to the floor. Instantly Shadow was being strangled by burly King Geoffrey.

"Kill this bloke!" Geoffrey commanded to his robots.

"Shadow's Feint!" he yelled. Geoffrey looked at the Shadow in his hands when it started to fade into black. The false Shadow reached for Geoffrey's neck and started to strangle him.

"I'm afraid I can't let that happen!" Shadow stated. "One oppressor is enough."

He was behind Geoffrey as he was being choked out. The two robots formerly known as Sleuth Dawg and Drago Wolfen approached Shadow and started to gnash their mechanical teeth. Drago was a huge wolf - about the size of a Ford Explorer – with big huge arms and white dazzling paint on his robotic exterior. His eyes were burning blue and his claws were red.

Sleuth was bloodhound who, in the past, rolled with the pack from time to time. He was smaller than Drago but still menacing. The robot didn't have any eyes but relied on its sensory systems – particularly smell. His hind legs were huge and his paint color was brown, claws were grey, and a shortened tail.

They approached Shadow quickly, he wouldn't have enough time to fend off the robots, and a recovering Geoffrey.

"Chaos Control!" Shadow yelled.

Interior Castle Acorn.

"C'mon Sally girl, keep moving." she urged herself on. She hopped into an elevator and then hit a basement button. If there was anyway out of the city it would be through the tunnels of Old Knothole. The tree roots were so huge they cut out a portion of them to be able to pass through. And since the trees all connected it was like a secret transit system.

Sally touched down onto the Root level and hurriedly ran across the moistened wood. She skidded to a stop and made a left turn and saw another elevator. She passed it and turned right to find another elevator in this hall. She passed it again and then turned right to find her goal. She got into this halls elevator and hit the only other button possible. The elevator shot up like a rocket and before long she would be in Nicole's mainframe building. She quickly emerged from a hallway and heard imitation snarling in the main room.

"I knew it!" she yelled out. The small wolf was caught off guard and slammed with a huge kick. The robot had cords snapped from its core as it slid across the floor. Sally ran to the machine and ripped the cords out. She turned around to see the wolf gently lurking across the floor.

This one used to be remembered as Lupe, the Wolf Packs leader. She was gorgeous when still an animal but all she was now was a pawn of Robotnik. She was still the same size as she was but a nice coating of turquoise paint across her chasse and gold and black accessories.

"Lupe, I know it's you." Sally started. "And I know you know it's me. Remember all of the times we worked together. We helped destroy so many of Robotnik's machines. We worked so well together to do good things, can you remember those things?"

Lupe was dripping oil from her teeth, a nice and creepy feature Robotnik added. Sally stepped back as Lupe approached closer. Sally kicked against Nicole's computer base and rested one hand on the console.

"You're forcing me to do this Lupe, I know you're still in there!" Sally exclaimed. Lupe inched closer. Sally focused, her eyes zeroing in Lupe the robot wolf's location.

"Let's see how you like a little lightning…" Sally mumbled.

New Mobotropolis Courtyard.

Antoine jumped back and barely got his sword up in time. The wolf before him was giving him a tough fight. Antoine jumped up to evade the incoming knives from former Wolf Pack member Flemming. Back in the day Flemming used to work under Geoffrey St. John as a General of his security team. He, like Antoine, was skilled in swordsmanship and so that trait passed on to the robotic edition.

Flemming stood up right as robot wolf and donned many swords on his back. When he opened his mouth it would shoot forth knives. His exterior color was maroon and even this robot looked old as far as in facial features. His moves however were young at heart.

Flemming kicked Antoine down but the Royal Guard sprang up again. Antoine got kneed in his stomach by the robots unimaginable force. Antoine landed on his feet and quickly grabbed his stomach. He hadn't felt pain like this, ever. Flemming let out a fierce growl as he started to pounce for Antoine. The young coyote grabbed for his sword and dashed by Flemming in a swift movement. Antoine sheathed his sword and turned around. He patted his hands together and then felt the pain in his stomach again.

Flemming was down with a huge cut on his body.

"You should be knowing when to quit before you are to far ahead." Antoine disciplined.

Flemming turned its head and opened it's mouth. Knives scattered and launched toward Antoine. He was lucky, extremely lucky.

Three or four knives in his arms, two in each leg and one grazed his ear. Antoine wanted to quit right there. He fell to one knee as Fleming got right back up and approached. He grabbed for two more swords on his back and reeled his arms back. Antoine mustered up the last bits of his courage and yanked out the pairs of knives in his legs. Flemming slashed and missed as Antoine ran underneath his legs. Flemming ducked under to see where he went when a sword ran right through his core.

Flemming screeched as if in pain as Antoine tore through with stab after stab. Flemming fell to the ground as Antoine landed. He fell to his knees and started to stare down the lifeless machine. He pulled out knife after knife until he passed out.

Rotor equipped his all purpose cannon he had created and took aim. He pinpointed his adversary who was named Hunter – a member of the Wolf Pack who wasn't mentioned very much. He was still however a strong robot and lasting against Rotor. Hunter had huge cannons mounted on the hips of his hind legs. He was smaller than Sleuth and had a narrow torso. This robot also had a mane of spikes going down its back.

Rotor fired a stream of grenades to counter against Hunter's rockets. The smoke engulfed the area quickly and spread out. After a few seconds it cleared up and Rotor was down on his back. Hunter pinned him down by the arms and was about to feast. Rotor planted a foot on the robots face but it wasn't even. The big walrus was being outmuscled. Rotor planted his second foot on Hunters upper lip but it was no contest.

"Activate!" yelled Rotor. Rotor's feet started lighting up and blue flames came shooting up. Hunter was still resilient but melting in the process. Rotor was still pinned until the flames singed an important wire. Hunter sparked with electricity and backed off of Rotor. The Walrus got up and relocated both of his arms back into shoulder sockets. He didn't even make a sound when he did, like it happens all of the time. He approached a short circuiting Hunter and switched the attachment to his small cannon.

"Shotgun Blast!" Rotor calmly stated while taking aim.

Hunter blew apart.

He was in complete pieces as Rotor slid across the ground from the kickback of the gun. He looked up and around and sighed. He petted his gun and got back onto his feet.

Howl, the last member of the Wolf Pack's small elite team was against Bunnie D'Coolette and was on the midst of a one sided fight. Howl was using energy blasts from his mouth which sounded like a wolves howl. In the old days ironically, Howl was a strong singer and known for his soothing howls. Now it was being used as a deadly sonic weapon.

Bunnie held up her right hand and aimed. She launched it like a chain and it quickly clamped down onto Howl's ears. Bunnie spun her arm around and released a little bit more line. Her arm coiled around Howl's mouth and she jumped high into the air and onto Howl's back. He started to buck and brawl as Bunnie pulled on her own reigns.

"Whoa nelly, little fella, you're my pup now." Bunnie smiled.

Howl bucked a few more times when Bunnie released an electrical jolt from her hand.

Howl reacted and turned up his power levels. He opened his mouth and snapped Bunnie's arm into pieces. Bunnie fell to the side and quickly reeled in her arm.

"Oh my stars!" Bunnie got up to her feet. "Ant--"

Howl turned to face Bunnie and opened his mouth to reveal the energy cannon it retained. The cannon then crumpled to pieces then its mouth and then the body and tail. It smashed up like paper and then reduced to the size of a baseball. It dropped to the ground and rolled up to Cream's shoe. She kicked it up and caught it.

"Ya'll made it." Bunnie exclaimed in joy.

"Where's he at?" asked Tails.

"I dunno!" Bunnie started. "He was here and then the Wolf Pack showed up and he vanished."

"He's at Castle Acorn with a few accomplices." Nicole chimed in.

Tails took off.

"Guys!" Rotor yelled. "Antoine's hurt."

They rushed over and stood over Antoine.

"Antoine… no…" Bunnie quivered. "Everythang's gonna be alright sugah."

"Rouge!" Sonic commanded.

"Yeah?" she sighed.

"Get him to Dr. Quack right now." Sonic commanded.

"But I wanna fight!" Rouge complained.

"Relax, you'll get your chance." said Sonic, "Just do this first then meet me at Castle Acorn

"You owe me Blue!" Rouge smiled. "Crystal Hexterior!"

A purple translucent twelve-sided sphere appeared around her and Antoine when she started to flap her huge wings. They took to the skies as Sonic turned to Amy and Cream.

"Cream I need you and Nicole to go find Sally and make sure she's okay." said Sonic.

"Sure I'll do that and while I'm at it you want me to fluff your pillow and do the dishes."

"Thanks Cream." Sonic replied. "And meet us at--"

"I know, I know, idiot."

"Follow me Cream I know where she's at." Nicole stated.

"Rotor, go get Bunnie repaired…"

"Sonic! I can still." Bunnie pleaded.

"We got it Sonic. Don't worry about us. Kill that son of a bitch for us." Rotor stated. Rotor and Bunnie ran off as Sonic posted his hands on his hips. He took in some air and exhaled and looked at New Mobotropolis. The place wasn't in too bad of shape; a few scattered fires everywhere and some shattered walls here and there but all in all it was repairable.

"Umm… Sonic, shouldn't you be going?" said Amy

"Me?" he didn't turn around.

"Yeah this is kind of your thing you know."

"I'm not going in there alone." He turned around and held out his hand to Amy. "I want you beside me when we beat Shadow."

Amy blushed. "Try and stop me!"

Pink and Blue blurs streaked across the city. The wind streak was unbearable to withstand as they passed by. They darted through the cityscape and ended up in the Royal District and in front of Castle Acorn alongside Tails.

"Ah, Hedgehogs welcome to the show." Geoffrey smiled. The last of the delegates were fleeing from the scene as Tails lead the three man cell forward.

"I can't believe you're the one causing all of this." said Tails.

"Say what?" asked Sonic.

"Geoffrey orchestrated all of this mess. He's trying to annihilate New Mobo from the inside." Tails explained. "And Shadow is his accomplice!"

"Hardly." Geoffrey crossed his arms. "Just a pawn actually, you're all pawns in fact; just like Sally. She played her role until it started to spoil and expire. Now my true wife can take her place in my kingdom, after I'm through with you! Go Drago! Sleuth! Tear them to shreds!"

Drago and Sleuth curl around Tails, Sonic and Amy as Geoffrey and Hershey sit back and watch.

"Lightning's Tail!" Tails yelled. He pointed his hand – in the shape of a gun – toward Sleuth and a ball of lightning appeared and grew to the size of a basketball. Sleuth zeroed in a little too close and his head was blasted to pieces. The lighting laser slashed straight through his head and into the sky.

Sonic darted around big Drago and saw the disadvantage to this vessel.

"C'mon big guy can't you hit me?" Sonic taunted. Drago swung and missed as Sonic appeared on his face. Drago raised his paws and slammed himself in the face. Dragon stumbled backward. Sonic landed next to Amy as she clasped his hand.

"You and me Sonic." she said.

"Let's do it to it!" Sonic replied.

Amy commanded her own powers. "Sonic Spinball!"

Amy jumped high into the air with Sonic in her hands. She threw him up a little bit into the air as he curled into a ball. Sonic had a pink aura around him that made him feel temporarily invincible. The next thing the hog knew he was kicked and sent down toward Drago at alarming speeds. Sonic bounced around a few times and finally got the motion of the attack.

Drago was lost at this point.

Several huge dents impaled his exterior as the hog was moving to fast to be tracked. Sonic was bouncing off of every little thing and returning the power Drago's hull. Sonic made one final leap and speared right into Drago's open mouth. Sonic passed right through will disemboweling the robot through. Amy landed right after Drago fell; the attack only lasted about ten seconds.

The trio meet up before Geoffrey St. John as he wore a cocky smile even still.

"Give it up Geoffrey, you can't contend with us." Tails warned.

Nicole's Mainframe Building.

"Sally?" Cream asked as she entered with Nicole just behind.

"Cream! You guys made it!" Sally exclaimed. Cream looked at the downed robot.

"Are you okay?" Cream asked.

"Me? I'm fine never better why do you ask?" Sally nervously answered.

"Good job queenie, this one looks like it was shocked to death. How'd you do it?" asked Cream.

"Me?" Sally shifted her eyes.

"My computer was activated in defense mode and I was commanded to release an EMP in a short range burst." Nicole explained.

"I didn't know that you could do that." Cream stated.

"You haven't lived here for a while Cream, you don't what we can do." Sally smiled. "Are the others here too?"

"Yeah we're supposed to meet up at the castle." Cream explained.

"Queen Sally, I have uncovered horrible news that you need to know." Nicole started.

"What is it?" asked Sally.

"King Geoffrey has been released and is seizing control of the city."

"What?" Sally teared up. She shook off those tears and turned it into silent anger.

"I'm going with you to the castle, Cream."

"Hey, I'm not stopping you."

"My Queen, your condition!" Nicole urged.

"I made it through a fight with Lupe, Nicole, I can handle myself."

Cream and Sally ran from Nicole's building and started heading toward the Castle.

Timmy Turtle Memorial Hospital.

"Okay Rouge, we can take of him from here." said Dr. Quack.

"The guys gonna be alright isn't he." Rouge asked.

"We don't know… we'll keep you and his wife posted though."

"Hey just get the guy fixed up will ya." Rouge stated. She ran down the hall and toward a staircase. She went down to the middle platform and opened a window. She sailed out and took flight. She saw everything from the air and quickly spotted Castle Acorn.

"I'm on my way, Sonic." Rouge thought.

Somewhere in New Mobotropolis…

"They're starting to converge… It's about time we moved out."

"Now you can attain the freedom you desire…"

**Another loaded chapter/issue of Sonic 51. Thanks to all the fans for the recent reviews and also shout out to Brave Kid. I'm still in need of some quotes from these Sonic sources (Sonic Adventure 1&2, Sonic SatAM, Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, and a from Archie's Sonic Comics.) I thank each and everyone of you for reading and reviewing. Two more issues to go and this arc is on close. I bet your like "What's gonna happen?! Tell me!" but you'll find out… you'll find out. **


	19. Sayonara, Shadow the Hedgehog

Sonic, Amy and Tails stared down Geoffrey St. John and his wife Hershey. They were going to run New Mobotropolis into the ground by their wishes. It was up to the Freedom Fighters to put a stop to things and the more they inched closer the more Geoffrey started to bead sweat.

"Give it up Geoffrey, you can't contend with us." Tails stated.

"You know you're right Tails, I can't contend with you or any of your freakish Freedom Fighters. Without those powers you would probably be turning into werewolves or having go-kart races and such."

"Can I shut this guy up now?" Sonic stepped forward.

"Fight me like a man! Do you have no honor? Step up to me and let us prove this all in fisticuffs."

Tails immediately agreed.

He jumped up onto the castle stairs and laid a double kick onto Geoffrey's blocking arm. Geoffrey came around with a huge punch and smashed Tails in the face. The young fox slid to the ground as Sonic jumped onto Geoffrey's back.

Geoffrey laughed as an impetuous odor came about.

Sonic's eyes rolled back into his head and his stomach started to churn. Geoffrey grabbed Sonic from his back and slammed him on the ground. Soon after Sonic went to his knees and vomited. The stench was that great.

The Skunk smiled. He was enjoying this a little too much. He looked to Hershey who had the same malcontented look in her eye. Tails was coming around from the hit and Sonic was nearly recomposed

"You're not fighters!" Geoffrey laughed as he punched Sonic in the face. "You just bounce around until you smash machines apart. This is the real world bloke!"

Amy grabbed Geoffrey by the shoulder and threw all of her weight into a single punch. Geoffrey's bones rattled before he went flying.

He smashed into a castle column and tumbled down the steps and kicked up a huge amount of dirt as he skidded to a stop.

"I don't have to prove myself to you Geoffrey, none of us do." Amy started. She held her hand out like she was holding a rod and instantly her hammer appeared out of her Chaos Energy.

"How dare you speak of honor when you double cross the crown!" Amy leapt high into the air and held her hammer behind her back. She slammed it down toward Geoffrey and made the ground shake. The tremors were like earthquakes, each one more unsteadying than the last. The dust cleared when it revealed that Amy had missed.

"Stay out of this pussy cat!" Amy yelled.

"You're not hurting him!" Hershey yelled in reply. She had pushed Geoffrey out of the way and sidestepped Amy's attack in an instant.

"There's something about her I don't like." Sonic crossed his arms.

Hershey leapt forward and punched Amy in the face. The pink hedgehog only stumbled back from the hit. She had taken a lot worse from Bunnie's poundings.

"I'd gladly give my remaining eight lives to fulfill our command."

"Command?" Tails asked. "Who's pulling the strings?"

"Now now, my young foxling, Can't have you ruining the fun for _Him_." Geoffrey got up to his feet when Sonic appeared behind him.

"That was a foul move you pulled back there, Stinky. How bout I show you what a hedgehog can do?" Sonic asked. Geoffrey backhanded into thin air as Sonic was running around him in infinite circles. Geoffrey saw blur after blur of constant blue. It was making him dizzy and seeing things.

"Sonic Illusion!" thought the Hedgehog. "Yeah!"

Geoffrey fell to his knees as Sonic ended the cycle and smashed him with a thunderous kick to the face. Geoffrey soared up in the air for a little bit and then hit the ground.

"Number Eight!" Hershey yelled. A grey aura lifted from Hershey's body as she started to go toe to toe with Amy. They were trading huge hits that sounded like thunder every time they connected. Hershey had some hidden power that was equal to Amy's. Hershey dodged Amy's uppercut as she swept kicked Amy's feet. Amy went groundside as Hershey went to stomp. Amy caught her foot and took her to the ground Amy got up and planted a solid boot on the ground.

"Roses Bloom!" she yelled. Amy started to glow with a pink aura as she hurled Hershey straight up into the air. Amy nestled down to a crouch and then leapt up high into the air.

"Axe Hammer!" Amy called out. She met up with a discombobulated Hershey and kneed her in the stomach. Hershey rose up a bit from the knee as Amy front flipped and axe kicked her back down to the ground. Amy dropped to the ground towering over Hershey.

Sonic licks his finger and touches himself on the arm. "Yow, we are sizzlin', hedgehogs!"

Soon after, Geoffrey and Hershey were detained by use of high security handcuffs that lapped over their arms and legs.

"I think we've done it." Tails stated.

"Sonic!" Rouge called.

"Huh?" Sonic looked around.

Rouge dropped in from the sky and looked around.

"I got here as soon as I could." Rouge got into a defensive stance.

"Too little too late li'l lady, the fights over." Sonic smiled.

"It's about time we found you!" Cream exclaimed while running up with Sally. Nicole appeared right along with them.

"Everybody's okay?" Sally asked.

"We're fine Sally, we just finished Geoffrey and Hershey."

"Hershey!" Sally snapped.

"Yeah that's her." Amy pointed.

Sally approached Geoffrey and knelt down.

"I can't believe you betray everyone like this." Sally started. "To think, five years ago you were an upright upstanding fellow who would have done anything for the sake of freedom. Look at you now, you're a liar, a traitor, and a killer and I sank myself to your level because I thought we were the same. I see now you were just using me and using my throne and using my people."

"I had a higher reason for these things, darling." Geoffrey smiled.

Sally slapped Geoffrey. "You don't talk! You listen when your Queen is speaking! Now as far as your punishment goes you will be sent to the Zone of Silence along with your little prostitute here for an eternity.

"I'd rather die!" Geoffrey mumbled.

"To think I loved you… and are… carrying your children…"

Geoffrey smiled. "You got knocked up eh? Good to see the ol' knickers are still active."

"You're done here Geoffrey. Say goodbye." Sally stood and walked away.

"If I have failed today then you can guarantee what's in store for you. You've waken a sleeping bear this time, Sally and I won't help you when that time comes!"

"Put a sock in it, Skunk! Everybody hates you." Sonic stated.

Geoffrey snarled in reaction but was quickly ignored as everyone approached Sally on the Castle steps.

"I thank you all my Freedom… no my friends." Sally began. "Without you this would have all been--"

"Anomaly approaching!" Nicole yelled.

Shadow appeared right from a Chaos Control and in the middle of everyone. He didn't even bat an eye as he swiftly lifted his hands in the air.

"Chaos Reach!" he yelled. Huge amounts of electricity sparked from Shadow's hands as the Freedom Fighters all went down. Only Sally and Nicole looked on as her team was being dismantled.

"Stop it!" yelled Sally.

"Finally! I can be free!" Shadow yelled. The electricity was exposing the team's Chaos Energy so that Shadow could see the things stored up it. Sonic's two emeralds were there, Tails' emerald was exposed and Rouge's was also present. They twirled and sparkled among the early night sky and then started to float toward Shadow.

"I've been fighting for this ever since that time." thought Shadow. "I've struggled, I've resisted, I've fought tooth and nail and after all of this time and finally…"

The emeralds soared toward Shadow as he ceased his Chaos Reach. Shadow unveiled the three Emeralds in his possession as they mixed in with the new four of his own.

"Shadow think about this… don't make the same mistakes." Sally started

"You think the power of these emeralds is a mistake." Shadow said in the early stages of his transformation. "I'm about to expose the mistakes."

The Emeralds were spinning around in a mesh of all colors. Shadow's black sharp fur started to turn grey and then shine a pale gold color. The crimson markings on his spines started to grow a little more cherry as Shadow's eyes went to a cherry red too. The emeralds stopped spinning as Shadow started to emit a glow. It was the aura of invincibility.

Shadow maniacally laughed.

The emeralds were all a pale stone grey as they neatly set on the steps of Castle Acorn. Shadow rose to the air and pointed to the edges of New Mobotropolis. A huge explosion occurred and flames erupted into the air.

"Get up!" Nicole urged everyone. No one was moving. "Shadow is going to destroy New Mobotropolis. Stop him!"

"Ugh…" a lone voice sounded. The girls looked over and saw he was still alive. They rushed over to Tails fallen body and then right to the entity behind. Sonic was still in some sort activity.

"Sonic!" Sally helped the hog up.

"I'm not going to give up here." Sonic barely rose to his feet.

"I can't believe this!" Sally stated. "C'mon."

Sally guided Sonic over to the emeralds while watching the skies. Shadow was too focused on his newly found freedom.

"Sonic listen to me," Sally started. "I've studied the emeralds and found out some news. There are negative and positive energies within the emeralds. I think Shadow has accessed the negative. In theory there is still a side of the emeralds that--"

"I know… I know what I have to do now." Sonic got to his own to feet. He stepped into the circle of emeralds and felt the power surge between him. It's been a while since he felt this.

Sonic started to feel the intense power and let out a huge war cry. His blue fur quickly flashed into a bright golden yellow with a pale yellow aura around his body. His spines lifted up like shadow's normal hair and his eyes a piercing red. The clothes he wore were flapping in the wind he was creating as he stood valiantly on the castle stoop.

He stared at Sally and gave an intense look.

"I finally know what I've been missing." Sally thought, "His pride, his sense of duty, he's the one I truly wanted all along."

"His readings are through the roof." Nicole stated. Sonic stepped forward not saying a word as he passed by Sally and in the middle of the Freedom Fighters. His pale yellow aura spread over them as they started to rise back to life.

"What happened?" asked Amy.

"Look!" Rouge exclaimed. Sonic was standing amid them as he spotted Shadow in the air. The sheer sight of his power was unbearable so imagine the feeling of being in his presence.

Super Sonic has returned and was not happy there was another with equal – maybe greater – strength than him.

"Go Sonic!" Sally yelled. Sonic blasted from the ground and soared across New Mobotropolis. His speed was unpredictable, gaining thousands of miles by the second. Shadow was nailed by Sonic and sent flying. Shadow tumbled through the sky and eventually hit the ground of the outer forest. Shadow got up and then felt another huge hit across his face as he tumbled across the ground. He hit the sand and then out to the ocean water where he regained some of his composure.

"What was that!?" he snapped.

Sonic literally blinked in front of Shadow.

"How?" Shadow recoiled. "You can reach freedom as well."

"It's not freedom you want, Shadow." Sonic began. "It's power. And I'm gonna show it to you."

Sonic slashed the air in front of him and a yellow ripple slammed into Shadow's torso. Shadow was sent flying again.

"Enough games!" yelled Shadow. Shadow turned to the side and locked onto a still Super Sonic. An ominous red energy formed in his hand and then vanished almost instantly.

Sonic smiled.

The sky turned red from the blast and the water dried up because of its intense heat. A huge and excessive amount of Chaos Energy wrapped over Super Sonic and further through the skyline. It tore through oxygen itself and pierced the atmosphere. One could feel the air rush back to where it got erased.

Super Sonic was still there.

"Impossible!" yelled Shadow.

Sonic held his hand up in the same motion of Shadow and had countered the attack.

"My turn!" yelled Sonic. Super Sonic blasted away at another unknown speed toward Shadow. Shadow saw him this time and was prepared to enter a fight. Sonic took flight and sailed straight up before Shadow. The black hedgehog was sent into an upward spiral while disorienting everything.

Super Sonic was at the crest of Mobius atmosphere and started to rain down yellow Chaos Energy of his own. His arms were like machine guns, delivering painful surge after painful surge down to the surface. Shadow was hit by a couple and then got his flight path together. He was like a blur amidst the sky, dodging everything in a blink. Sonic reeled back for his next rapid fire shot when Shadow caught his left hand. Shadow soared upward a bit and slammed Sonic with his shin. Sonic blinked back to normal and then back into Super form. That shot was empowered and sent him back down to the ground. Shadow chased after Sonic and punched him in the torso three different times before Sonic hit the surface.

Sonic made a huge crater in the ground. No normal person could have survived any of that. Shadow barreled down hoping to collide with Sonic's unconscious carcass in the craters low point. Shadow saw Super Sonic – down and out – and accelerated. He came straight down and met with Super Sonic's hands. They were in deadlock as Sonic held Shadow's hands at bay. Shadow was flaring out his pale red aura like a comet would. The aura was the symbolism of the super forms power and by the looks of it Shadow had plenty to spare for every single person in the galaxy. Sonic was going into the ground and rapidly too. That last combination put him on the brink of Super Sonic's time limit.

"One last push is all I need!" Sonic yelled.

Sonic let out a war cry and flared his yellow aura out wide. The aura swallowed up the land around him and turned it into immediate dust. Sonic was pushing Shadow into the air now and the black hedgehog grew to insane anger. Super Sonic swiftly sidestepped and allowed Shadow to smash into the ground. Sonic floated over Shadow and held his hand up in the air.

"Super Sonic Tempest!" he yelled.

Sonic dropped a heavy wind-induced punch on Shadow and threw up a huge amount of boulders and stones. Mobius shook from the power and Super Sonic was out of juice. Sonic fell to the ground and collapsed.

"I did it…" he lazily stated. He mustered up a small amount of strength and crawled over to a hole. He trudged slowly across the soft dirt and rocks with his one free arm – the other was broken along with two dislocated femurs. He dragged his own self up to the holes edge and peeked down.

Sonic smiled.

"Sayonara… Shadow the… Hedge…hog." Sonic let his head rest on the ground right in front of the hole. The hole wasn't even that big – about three feet to be exact - but it went deep. There was nothing but darkness deep in the hole that went to Mobius' core. Sonic had put Shadow into a fiery grave; a fitting place for the demon hedgehog.

A light appeared.

It was small but growing by the second. Sonic looked down the hole and got to his butt. He couldn't believe it.

"No!" Sonic yelled.

Super Shadow burst from the hole's mouth and floated over Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic didn't notice it at first; he was concentrating on the last thing he would see before he died. But he took a second glance and saw it as Shadow nestled his feet on the ground. The black hedgehog was clutching his bloody chest with his only usable arm. The other was hyper-extended and bleeding from the elbow. Many slashes and cuts were deep on his fur and skin. The super form wore off and Shadow fell to his knees beside Sonic. He hit the ground and closed his eyes.

"Shadow…" Sonic questioned.

Nothing.

Sonic reached for him.

"We're…" Shadow started. "We're… truly not… invincible in that form… are we?"

Sonic sighed and fell to his back.

"I figured it out when Tails' and me went to stop the Death Egg a second time on Angel Island. I was Super Sonic facing this machine… and it grabbed me and slammed me on the ground… It knocked me right out of invincibility. The first time though… was when Knuckles punched me out and took the emeralds from me though… heh…"

"I see…" Shadow realized. "A threshold of pain… has to be surpassed in order to… cease from Superiority. When I was in that form a first time, Tail's struck me with lightning which shortened my time…"

Silence fell between the two.

"Why are you doing this Shadow?" asked Sonic. "And don't tell me it's freedom you want or that you're power hungry."

Shadow took in a deep breathe and overcame the pain in his torso.

"I… don't… know…" said Shadow.

"Okay, now the real reason." Sonic smiled.

"I told you hedgehog! I don't know! I'm not about to lie on my deathbed!" Shadow announced. "Ever since I can remember I've always sought for power. My memories are shrouded and my mind is warped."

"You mean you don't know who you are?"

"Everywhere I go I move just as a shadow would, inconspicuous and in the background. It's just something I title myself… all I truly know is that I'm the world's ultimate life form."

"Sounds like you need to get your memories back."

"Heh, what do you know?!"

"I know Shadow… I was in a coma for five years and had to suffer through memory gain myself. I still don't know if I'm complete or not… but that doesn't mean I'm going to give up. No! I'm going to try and make things as good as possible for me. And I think that's what you're gonna have to do too."

"You are an… interesting and annoying hedgehog." Shadow smiled. He looked up to the stars. "You have encouraged me blue hedgehog, I will seek my past, rebuild my present, and come back for you in the future."

"And by that time I'll still be stronger than you." Sonic stated.

"A dream I plan to shatter." Shadow stated. A silence weaved between the conversation as the two look up into the sky. The world was beautiful place while in still motion.

"I regret attacking the village." Shadow said.

"Is that a sorry?" Sonic asked.

Shadow tightened his only available fist.

"I guess that's as far as I'm gonna get huh?" Sonic questioned.

The two lay there paralyzed by their broken bones and strained muscles. The fight was over, for now. And New Mobotropolis was partially scathed in many ways. The people couldn't rely on democracy's slow tactics as it just now passed a bill to get rid of Shadow. The city was also in small shambles with Shadow's path of destruction coursing through it. And the people's sense of security was shaken as well. The city needed some sort of hope.

"Sonic!" yelled Sally. She was being held within Tails' arms as they fly down to the ground. The two were accompanied by Amy and Rouge.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Sally rushed over and hugged him.

"Ah Sal that hurts." Sonic pushed away.

"You didn't kill him!" Tails tightened his fists. He approached Shadow and stood over him.

"Relax Tails, the guy said he's sorry." Sonic was assisted to his feet.

"He's lying!" Tails snapped. He reeled back a fist and punched Shadow repeatedly.

"Tails!" Amy grabbed Tails and pulled him back. Tails pushed Amy aside and got right over top of Shadow and placed his hands on his head.

"I'll kill him!" yelled Tails. Electricity jolted over his hands and through Shadow's head.

"Tails!" Sally yelled.

He was slammed hard by Rouge's kick and sent into the soft dirt.

"What is your problem, child?!" Rouge yelled. "Can't you see he's not even putting up a fight?!"

"I don't care!" Tails yelled.

"Geez, kid, what are you doing?" Sonic asked.

"Why didn't you finish him?" Tails yelled. "You had the power, the opportunity, and you let it go."

"Tails!" Sally started. "I can't believe this is the real--"

"It's okay," Shadow started, "He has his reasons, and I'm sorry…"

"It's a lie!" Tails yelled.

"Tails I think you should stay here until the morning… see what you did wrong here." Sally commanded. Amy picked up Sonic and Rouge picked up Shadow while Sally walked behind the pairs.

Tails sat down and watched the group leave. He focused on Shadow before out of sight and saw the black hedgehog wink at him.

"AAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaagggggghhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!" Tails screamed. A huge flare of electricity shot up into the sky as the thunder sounded milliseconds later.

**One more mind bending issue of Sonic 51 to go. I've already decided to take until January to plan out the next HUGE arc and take some vacation from typing. I know it's gonna piss a few people off but hey a little anticipation as is always a good thing right. Farewell Freedom Fighters!**


	20. The Fastest Thing Alive

One Week after Shadow and Sonic met in battle.

"You two are going to be okay." said Dr. Quack after putting down a few charts on the edge of the bed. The room was full of concerned friends with smiles across their faces. Amy, Cream, Rotor, Bunnie, all attend the hospital room of Sonic and Antoine.

"I'm glad it's not a coma this time." Sonic sighed. Amy hugged him and kissed him on the forehead.

"Me too." Amy smiled.

"Well then would you have been better of with some of the knife wounds I had to endure." Antoine crossed his arms. Bunnie was hugging him and kissing him all over.

"Any ol' body can go super if they wanted, it takes a real man to live through a pummelin' o'knives." Bunnie stated.

"I'm gonna be sick." Cream held her mouth closed.

"You're in the right place." Rotor smiled.

"Have you guys seen Tails' lately?" Sonic asked.

"No. Nah. Haven't seen 'em." the others sounded.

"Hmm…" Sonic replied.

Nicole appeared in the stoop of the hospital room and took a few steps forward.

"It is good to see the princess' top fighters in supreme condition again." Nicole smiled.

"You mean the Queen right Nicole." asked Amy.

"Master told me she will forgo the title of Queen since the marriage was a hoax after all. She said she was going to forget it ever happened."

"That's Sally girl for ya." Bunnie smiled.

"She wishes for the Freedom Fighters to congregate in the hall of Castle Acorn as soon as possible. She said there are a few announcements to be made and a new mission."

"New mission!" Sonic exclaimed while jumping out of the bed. He stretched and ran in place after word of the good news.

Antoine saw Sonic's excitement and then looked at his wife. She silently nodded and smiled as Antoine got out of the bed and to his feet.

"We better not keep Princess Sally waiting then." said Antoine.

"Last one there buy's the chili dogs!" Sonic yelled before darting from the room. He shot around the hospital and into the fresh air of New Mobotropolis. He could hear the sound of construction rippling through the air. The city was repairing the physical damage in order to heal the emotional pain. Shadow ran through the city a bit before Sonic intervened. They haven't heard a major announcement from their Queen but they figured construction would be a start.

Sonic powered through the town and found his way to Castle Acorn and entered. He sped toward the single-chair throne and saw Sally talking with Nicole and a golden fox waiting patiently at the end of the carpet.

"Tails!" Sonic smiled.

The young fox looked at Sonic and then turned away in a huff.

"Oh this again…" Sonic crossed his arms.

"Sonic!" Sally exclaimed. "You're back to 100 percent?"

"I never dropped from it." Sonic rubbed the underside of his nose.

Sally laughed as Tails and Nicole look at each other and roll their eyes.

"So what's the big announcement?" asked Sonic.

"You're going to have to wait, Sonic. I'm waiting until everyone is present which is why Tails is here."

"Really… I hadn't noticed." Sonic stated.

Tails' ear twitched at that comment but hunched down a little. He was holding in his anger for later.

Sally and Nicole whisper among each other.

"Tails looks like he's changed in his week of solitude." Nicole said.

"I don't know if you've noticed Nicole but look." Sally gestured. "He's growing his third set of tails."

"In a few weeks he'll have six tails. Miles is growing so fast."

"And his power will double again." Sally stated. "I've been researching everyone's animalistic types I got from Overlander ruins. They say once a fox reaches stages of six or nine tails they get some sort of spiritual epiphany."

"It sounds like unethical facts, princess." Nicole rejected.

"That's what I'm thinking too," Sally started. "but then--"

"Sally girl, we're here!" Bunnie yelled while dragging Antoine over her shoulder. Behind her were Rouge, Amy, Rotor, and Cream.

"I'm glad you guys could make it." Sally smiled. "Especially with Antoine's and Sonic's medical conditions."

Sonic started to defend his well-being when Amy put a finger on his mouth.

"Tails, welcome back." Rotor patted him on the shoulder.

Tails didn't acknowledge Rotor.

"I have a few things I wanted to tell you guys in person before they get out to the public." Sally started. "First is the crown. Since Geoffrey St. John defrauded my royal rite as Queen I willfully stripped myself the title of Queen and returned to princess. Doing so nullifies my rule as a queen for the future."

"You mean if you get married you won't have the title anymore."

"Although I am a princess, titles in the Great Forest are meaningless." Sally recited her own past words.

"I've heard that before." Sonic smiled.

"This act of mine is why New Mobotropolis will become a democratic order the rule of a seven member council."

"A council?" Antoine questioned. "This is meaning more delegates and more arguments. A lot more of the opinions meaning decisions will be of delay. Not to be mentioning the spreading of us Royal Guards – which is already being thin."

"I know Antoine but when you hear of those on the council you will reconsider."

"Who's on this li'l ol' council then?" asked Bunnie.

"A few of community leaders and some notable names like Hamlin, Nicole here, Sir Charles…" Sally explained.

"Uncle Chuck made the council!" Sonic erupted with joy.

"Along with myself as acting head." Sally smiled.

"And as first act of the council we have changed the name of the city to give its hope back to the people. New Mobotropolis is no more and the name Knothole shall be reinstalled as this city's title."

Smiles were all across the listening Freedom Fighters as Sally explained.

"That's good." Sonic stated. "It's like it never left."

"Exactly, we wanted the name of Knothole to be a name that is everlasting." Nicole explained.

"We want the council to be swift with its action and make sure the people are forewarned are everything. Instances like Shadow could have been avoided with the proper defenses and strategic plans."

"Where is Shadow?" asked Tails. It was the only peep he made all day.

"We took Shadow in after the battle and healed him. I'm guessing with his vast Chaos Energy he was healed within a matter of days. No one has seen him in a few days.

"He'll be back though." Sonic explained.

"What?" Sally questioned. "How do you know?"

"He told me!" Sonic crossed his arms. "He said he's going through a personal crisis. He can't remember who he is."

"That's bull!" Tails erupted.

Everyone stared at him as his anger boiled over.

"Once he finds out who he is he's coming for me." Sonic said with no fear. "But don't worry, I'll have something for him when does."

Tails clinched his teeth.

"Then you stay prepared along with the team Sonic." Sally commanded. "I can't afford to lose my fighters."

"My fighters?" Rotor questioned.

"You think I'm gonna let a bunch of councilmen take my Freedom Fighters from me?" Sally smiled. "The team is only to be directed by me or Nicole and in case of emergency, Sir Charles."

"Cool." Sonic smiled. "It'd be nice to have Unc' directing us on a mission."

"Speaking of mission…" Sally wet their appetite. "Some of you will be going out on the next operation."

"'Bout time we got to this part." Sonic smiled.

"The mission is a simple retrieval mission. There is a person I need to be brought back here – no exceptions." Sally explained.

"Really, that's all." Sonic questioned.

"Not really."

"Really."

"Yes, really."

"Which is it Sal, not really or yes really."

"Ugggghh! Sonic." Sally sighed with some annoyance. "The place you all will be traveling to is a hidden location on Mobius. The only way there is through a set of Zone Starposts."

"I go through Starposts all the time, this is no sweat." Sonic explained.

"No Sonic, these certain Starposts connect throughout Mobius. On Mobius there a natural wormholes that warp throughout the planet. Since they change and interchange on a daily basis you will never know where you will end up. By using our own Zone Starposts we can direct you to this hidden village between worlds."

"Sounds cool let's go!" Amy exclaimed.

"It's not that easy." Rotor was the killjoy.

"Say what?" asked Sonic.

"The Zone Starposts have to be built." Rotor explained. "It could take months before we perfect the trajectories and wormhole frequencies."

"Great." Sonic folded his arms.

"The good part about is that you all can participate in repairing some of the damage in a while. It has been a while since the Freedom Fighters had a vacation." Sally saw the bright side.

"I'm all for a break." Cream sat down on the ground.

"You only had one mission Cream." Amy got in the young rabbits face.

"You're breath stinks." Cream returned.

Night passes in Knothole City.

The people were instructed upon sundown of the changes in Knothole City. The people were thrilled to have met compromise amongst monarchy and democracy. Castle Acorn would be transformed into Hall of Acorns in homage to the new government. There would be many changes to the village with this new decree from Sally. Sonic saw the city was changing for the better now and decided to pay his visit to his only family. He spun around in a stool as his Uncle served him his usual meal.

"Pinch me I'm dreaming!" Sonic picked up a chili dog.

"Good to see my favorite nephew still enjoys my cooking." Charles stated.

"How could I not, the spices and beans mix perfectly together with the meat and the hot dog… don't get me started on the hot dog."

Sir Charles laughed heartily.

"This is one of many last nights I'll have here at my humble little stand." Charles stated.

"Congratulations Sir Charles." Sonic held up his chili dog.

"Who knew my years as King Max's court advisor would get me a position as councilman on his daughters' cabinet?"

"I'm proud of you Uncle Chuck." Sonic smiled.

"Your proud of me!" Charles laughed again. "I think it's the other way around, sonny, I'm so glad that you kept your head high even when all these things around are dragging you down."

"What do you mean?" asked Sonic.

"You think I can't tell, nephew, it's all over your face. You and Tails still aren't like the old days."

"Sonic stared down at his plate.

"I'm starting to think that ship has sailed Unc'" Sonic mumbled.

Charles shook his head. "That's not the nephew I know and love. My nephew never gave up and wouldn't think anything like that."

Sonic smiled.

"Maybe tonight will be your chance to patch it all up." Uncle Chuck stated as he saw Tails approaching. The nearly six tailed fox planted himself a seat apart from true blue.

"Hey Uncle Chuck, the usual please." Tails requested.

"Comin' up, my good man." Uncle Chuck nodded to Sonic and then turned around to the oven behind him.

"Wassup Tails." Sonic started.

Silence.

"What'd you do all week?"

Silence.

"What is it with you and Shadow?"

"Can I get that to go, Sir Charles?" asked Tails.

The old metal hog nodded.

"You can't keep avoiding me, big guy. Did you forget I'm the fastest thing alive?"

"And yet you still let Shadow get away." said Tails.

"Is that what your sour about?" asked Sonic. "I let him go because he was sorry. You can't live in a world with nothing but revenge. It leads you into a hollow shell."

"You weren't there to experience any of the things I went through." Tails began. "Shadow was like a brother to me in the times he lived here. We went on missions together and fought against the same things. We grew together and then… betrayal. No one deserves to take him out more than me. It should have been me who got the emeralds power. Maybe if I had it then Shadow wouldn't be alive now. You just went out like a sorry sack of crap and let him go."

"So this is you huh?" Sonic interrogated.

"Yeah this is me!" Tails leapt off his stool and in Sonic's face. "If I had gotten the emeralds power I would killed Shadow and I would've come back for you!"

Sonic was stunned.

Sir Charles was stunned.

"I think you should go… Tails." said Sir Charles while holding up Tails' order. "Pretend this never happened right. I don't want to have to have you investigated for treason Miles."

"Already forgotten." Tails stated before walking away. Sonic turned to his uncle and then back at Tails.

"Listen Sonic, you watch your back. That's not the Tails we used to know!"

Sonic nodded.

"You keep what happened tonight under your cap and so will I." Chuck instructed.

Sonic nodded.

**This brings this arc to a close! But don't miss the next update in January when the Freedom Fighters embark on their next mission. Thanks to all the Hits/Visitors who have been consistent or are newcomers to the story. You don't know how much it means to me to see a few visits on my page but it encourages me. So stay tuned for more Sonic 51 in the year 2010. Farewell Freedom Fighters!**


	21. Return to Grace

"I'd like to begin by saying a few encouraging words." the princess started. She had removed the crown she wore as queen and gone back to wardrobe more of her own style. She had put away her sadness and wore a smile again. The city was safe and her friends present and accounted for. Not mention she was holding life within her belly. She looked at her team and read their faces quite easily: readiness, wonder, angst, excitement and lack-luster were on each members faces.

"I know the last few weeks have been--" Princess Sally Acorn started.

"Boring!" true blue interrupted. The fastest thing alive was tapping his foot impatiently with crossed arms and his nose up in the air. He looked annoyed and pissed off but deep down he was more excited than anyone.

"Boring…" Sally summed up while looking at her best friend and city moderator, Nicole, the brown and black lynx who was linked to every aspect of the city by holorealmatic machines also agreed. Nicole simply nodded with her stone face. She was still a computer after all.

"C'mon Sal, I need some action around here!" Sonic fidgeted each his fingertips. "It's been dead here for three weeks!"

"Sonic!" Amy knocked him over the head. The pink hedgehog gave a love tap to her impatient boyfriend. She wasn't a kid anymore either but a woman nonetheless and a feared warrior on the battlefield. Sonic calmed down.

"You can be so selfish sometimes!" Amy started to nit-pick. The couple was in that stage where everything turns into a fight.

"I'm selfish?!" Sonic started. "What about last night when you kept hogging the remote so we could watch Mina Mongoose's reality show!"

Rotor adjusted his hat. He was starting to lose interest. Fast. He was still in his fatigued shorts and hat with a belted pack over his chest and black combat boots. His size was still massive with muscle underneath his many coats of blubber. The purple walrus zoned out of the conversation as he looked to the one next to him. The guy next to him wasn't keeping it in so well.

The Hall of Acorns burst with insurmountable heat and a few flames.

"Sonic! Amy! Put a lid on it!" Knuckles yelled showing fists to each of them. The red echidna was breathing heavily as he stopped his fire and heat show. His hair would always be dreaded and he was still wearing a wrap around his waist from his tribal customs. His lego-styled boots that were red, yellow, green and a few hits of grey.

Sonic and Amy looked at Knuckles and then back to each other.

"I'm sorry!" Amy started.

"Yeah, you are." Sonic smiled. Amy punched Sonic in the arm before they planted a small kiss on each other.

Rotor rolled his eyes.

Knuckles rolled his eyes.

Sally rolled her eyes.

Tails rolled his eyes.

"Princess Sally? The mission?" Tails reminded. He hasn't spoken much since the day that New Mobotropolis was attacked by Shadow, but what else is new. Last heard by Sonic was Tails blindly confessing he would "come after" Sonic if he had such an opportunity (i.e. Chaos Emerald induced powers). The golden fox was going through some things that could probably be blamed on his new appendages.

Tails grew two extra tails in the last three weeks.

"Oh I'm sorry Tails." Sally smiled. "Thanks to two of our top mechanical and technical Freedom Fighters we have successfully made a set of Zone Starposts. These posts harness the powers of Mobius random wormhole routes and directs them to where we so choose." Sally explained. "This next mission's objective is The World Between Worlds."

"Say what?" asked Sonic.

"Stop acting like a child Sonic." Knuckles started. "This is real life!"

Amy brushed it up a bit. "You know Sonic? The World Between Worlds is like Mobius' own special place. It's where Never Lake is, and the place we all went to race for the emeralds that one time and Flicky Island is there too."

"Oh yeah now I remember," Sonic pointed at Knuckles. "You two were giving me access to special stages! How'd you do that?"

"Sonic! Focus!" Sally was rubbing her temples. "By using the Zone Starposts you will enter The World Between Worlds and find… somebody."

"Who is this person?" asked Amy.

"That's on a need-to-know basis Amy!" Sally stated. Her tone had a bit of spite behind it as Amy backed down. "Tails is the only one who knows and it's going to be this way until you get him."

"Ha!" Sonic pointed. "It's a guy! That narrows down our search."

"To like a billion." Rotor stated out of the blue. Sonic crossed his arms.

"There is no way we can monitor you once inside The World Between Worlds so please take your time, use caution, and investigate the entire situation before acting." Nicole laid some ground rules.

"Good Luck Freedom Fighters." Sally nodded. The others nodded in return. "If you're not back within a week's time, then we will send for immediate backup."

"Don't worry Sal, we're going to get your somebody back." Sonic nodded with that cocky smile of his. His confidence was like a breath of fresh air to the princess. She nearly toppled over but played it off by sitting down in the chair behind her.

The Freedom Fighters ran out from the Hall of Acorns.

"Do you think they can do it?" asked Sally.

"You are asking me." Nicole turned to Sally.

Sally shrugged.

"This isn't like you Princess, I never knew you to be so doubtful."

"I'm sorry Nicole, it's just I haven't seen him since I was little. And now that I've had the title and lost it and am carrying children he's going to be pretty hard on me."

"True he is stubborn but even still you two make each other whole."

Sally smiled.

"Sally Girl!" Bunnie Rabbot ran in. She came to a halt in front of the princess and the moderator and took in a few breaths; she apparently ran all the way here.

"Sally Girl you need to take a look at this!" Bunnie said with a few trembles in her voice. The three women exited the hall of Acorns and burst out into the streets of Knothole. The place had been beautifully repaired with gardens everywhere and renovations to new and old buildings. Uncle Chuck's chili dog stand was still standing proudly with a new owner – a pig of all people – along with other notable memorials. The hospital had a few repairs done to it along with a newly built food court on the other side of town. Nicole had managed to make the city's shield even stronger than before.

The name New Mobotropolis was no more after all. The people and citizens were thriving under the reinstated name of Knothole. Things were starting to be like the old days – except without towering trees around them. The three ladies in pursuit weren't really focused on Knotholes Hanging Gardens, or how the Hall of Acorns renovation looked at the time.

There was a situation and Bunnie was leading the way right to it. They stopped in their newly built high security prison. Every criminal they hoped to capture would be put away here for the rest of their days. Small time villains from Bean and Bark, to middle-class offenders like Nack the Weasel to high crime artists like Mammoth Mogul and the infamous Dr. Robotnik had special cells waiting for them. Bunnie and Sally came into the lower levels with Nicole blinking in a few milliseconds later. They met up with few already in-progress visitors.

"Antoine, Rouge, what's going on?" asked Sally.

The chief Royal Guardsmen poked his chest out as he stepped forward to the Princess Sally.

"There is something being wrong with one of our detainees." he stated.

"You remember the robot that came with Shadow don't you." Rouge jumped in.

"E series robot: E-123 codenamed: Omega, how could I forget?" Sally walked forward. She peered into the cell and saw Omega standing perfectly still with cobwebs all around his chasse.

"That last time we checked on this one was about a week ago." Rouge informed. "And he was shutdown at the time and I know Nicole--"

"All security records are currently being viewed and show that no tampering occurred with Omega's cell." Nicole interrupted.

"What's the problem?" Sally rubbed her head.

"That is what's being the problem my princess!" Antoine pointed in the direction of Omega as Sally zoomed in.

She stepped back and looked at Nicole.

"Omega's in standby mode?" Sally questioned.

"Probable cause is that someone triggered him from the outside." Nicole started.

"It's not G.U.N.," Rouge surmised. "Once we reported that Omega went rogue and joined Shadow they terminated all of Omega's funding. Commander Tower even told me that I was being reconsidered back into the agency for having a hand in stopping those two."

"There are two-hundred fifty six probabilities that could troubleshoot Omega's activation." Nicole started.

"Stop." said a voice from the corner. "No matter which one of those probabilities you choose it's going to be wrong."

The Freedom Fighters slowly turned to the darkened corner and felt their stomachs drop into their shins. The village destroyer had returned.

Shadow the Hedgehog was back.

"Shadow!" Bunnie cried. Antoine pulled out his sword and held it right up to Shadow's neck. Shadow was gone in an instant and then Antoine was on the ground. His sword impaled into the wall behind Shadow. Antoine was getting the life squeezed out of him all by Shadow's foot. He was the best one in the room to take on Shadow and now that he was pinned the ladies would have to come together.

"I only came to get what is mine." Shadow started.

Bunnie reeled back and threw her arm right for Shadow. The black hedgehog caught it and tugged at it. Bunnie tightened her real fist and reeled that one back. She was going to land a hit no matter what. Shadow caught her wrist and eased her arms down to her wayside.

"You let him go!" Bunnie practically spat in his face.

"One more outburst and I kill this stump of a guard!" Shadow grew angered. He really did come to talk. He shoved Bunnie back as Sally caught her. Shadow lifted his foot off of Antoine and actually helped the guard up.

"Omega is coming with me." Shadow stated.

"What do you want with him?" Sally asked.

"We both made a covenant to attain freedom. This isn't what he had in mind." Shadow smirked.

"I'm not releasing him. Knotholes orders." Sally stepped forward. Shadow closed his eyes and sighed a little bit.

"If you stand in my way princess…" Shadow started.

"If he's gonna be such a big baby about it let him have the toy!" Rouge jumped in. The others weren't so willing to agree.

"Omega is a criminal now!" Bunnie started. "We can't just have criminal's out and about now can we?"

"Then I'll go with them." Rouge leapt up to her feet.

Shadow furrowed his brow.

"Out of the question." Sally folded her arms.

"C'mon Shadow… we made a great team back in the old days." Rouge smiled. "I helped you find that last emerald before you destroyed knothole remember?"

Shadow closed his eyes.

"This is not going to be turning out so good is it?" Antoine stated to his wife.

"Listen here, Princess I'm just gonna tag along with Shadow here and make sure he doesn't hurt anyone with his little quest for the chaos emeralds. No harm done, right my queen?"

"It's princess!" Nicole said sternly.

"Fine, do what you want." Sally said. She had lost control over this whole thing. "It's obvious you want to go back to G.U.N."

"What can I say? Their resources are a lot better than yours." Rouge shrugged her shoulders. This is what a break-up felt and sounded like.

"I always knew there was some funny business about you!" Bunnie started to point fingers as she approached Rouge. Shadow appeared right between them.

"Release Omega, now!" Shadow commanded. Sally looked at Nicole and followed instructions. Omega's thick and clear cell door slid upward as Shadow approached him. He placed a hand on Omega when the robot came to life.

"Shadow!" Omega yelled. He opened up his hand and out came a missile launcher jammed right in Shadow's face.

"You abandoned me!" Omega accused.

"And now I'm getting you out." Shadow lowered Omega's launcher. Omega looked around and saw familiar enemies. These were some of the people that overwhelmed him in the last battle with the Wolf Pack Tribe and Geoffrey St. John.

"I'm not leaving, not before I shatter each of their bones!" Omega turned a machine gun toward Antoine.

"You said you wanted to attain freedom with me, Omega! Let's go!" Shadow barked. Omega didn't lower his weapon as he walked out of his own cell.

"You too Rogue!" Shadow stated.

"Ahem, it's Rouge!" she corrected. "If I'm going to be with you the least you could do is get a woman's name right."

"Can I kill her now!" Omega stated while pointing a gun in Rouge's face.

"Pulling it out on the first date?" Rouge asked. "What kind of robot are you?"

Shadow would have his hands full. "Chaos Control…"

And just like that the room was emptied by three people.

"Sally Girl, I know that wasn't--" Bunnie started.

"Bunnie, I don't want to hear it." Sally was hot. She had never really showed her emotions but it was clearly visible now. The Princess could have torn the place down with her own anger but she somehow found asylum.

"Were going to find her and were put her away." Bunnie commanded.

Princess Sally left the room.

This was not something they had hoped for. Shadow's return was already staggering enough but now the defection of Rouge. She would be blacklisted as an enemy now. They would have a cell for her in this small prison complex in Knothole.

The other Freedom Fighters exited the complex leaving Nicole alone among the room.

"And it starts." said Nicole. She materialized into checkers and quickly exited the room.

The sun starts to set on the world of Mobius as the Freedom Fighters reach their destination.

Somewhere among the dying heat of the desert.

"We're here." said Tails.

So this is the place huh?" asked Rotor. He set down his huge gun and stretched his arms back. The heat of the sun was finally wearing off and it was time to set up camp. They had made good time to this place, especially travelling at speeds in the 500's. Tonight they would rest up and tomorrow the mission would begin. Sonic set the pack he was carrying down along with the others.

"Hey Knuckles where are we?" asked Amy.

"This area is Deserted Ruin just outside of Downunda." Knuckles stated.

"I thought Never Lake was going to be here?" Sonic asked.

"Oh it will be." Rotor smiled. "Once this baby get's fired up."

Rotor patted down the Zone Starposts and kissed them a bit. They settled among the sandy area with many oasis' around them and mountains on their left and right. It was like a big alleyway with the sunset staring right at them.

"Oh Sonic isn't this romantic." Amy stated. "I can't believe we're almost there."

"I can't believe how bored I am." Sonic stated.

"Sonic." Amy started.

"You just don't know when to shut up do you blue!" Knuckles smiled. "If I did the same thing to Jules that you're doing to Amy, I'd be mince meat about now."

"That's because you've got the old ball and chain, Red." Sonic started. "Me and Amy have an understanding."

Rotor rolled his eyes.

"And what is that?" asked Amy.

"We've got a free flowing relationship, nothing's gonna tear this apart." Sonic smiled.

Tails stood up with his six tails flinching in the action.

"What is it Tails?" asked Amy.

"Ssh!" Tails looked left then Sonic, Knuckles, and Amy did. It was almost instantaneous.

"It's here." Tails stated.

"It's mine!" Sonic leapt up out of the chair and was gone in an instant. Tails whirled his six tails then blasted into the air. Knuckles spun his arms and quickly burrowed into the ground. Sand kicked everywhere over Amy and Rotor. The camp was blasted with wind and soft grains as Rotor looked at Amy.

"What is it?" asked Rotor. Amy brushed the dust out of her hair and set the chair back up.

"It's a Chaos Emerald!" Amy exclaimed.

Sonic was trucking across the desert dodging sinkholes and pressure activated traps from the ruins. Sonic was nearly impaled against a rising column but he sidestepped and was lifted up in the air by a huge monument. Sonic was sent careening through the air as Tails whisked by him.

The fox sailed just inches over the sand when a huge tidal wave of columns rushed from right to left. He never expected anything like this and had to pull up. He wasn't going to make it in time. He was going to fast. The columns were relentless in their constant shift from left to right. Tails was going to be knocked for sure when a huge sand eruption blasted up like a nuclear bomb.

The columns were all in disarray with Knuckles at the epicenter. He quickly crouched down and ran toward the sunset. He wasn't as fast as the others were on foot but was still pretty good. He ran through a tunnel when a column closed it off. He raised a huge fist and smashed through it like the first football player through one of those banners. More columns came – left, right, up, down, it didn't matter – and all were smashed to bits from Knuckles heavy punches. Knuckles was in the clearing as he came upon a huge gorge. He stopped at the precipice and looked it over.

"I've been here before." he stated.

"Oh yeah?" Sonic sped right next to him and overlooked into the gorge.

"This is Wild Canyon." Tails stated while dropping on the left of Knuckles.

"Well for you guys it's about to be Losers Canyon, that Emeralds mine!" Sonic jumped straight into the canyon. Tails gnashed his teeth and flew right after.

"You won't find that thing unless your Chaos Pulse is as good as mine!" Knuckles yelled. He stopped his yelling and held his head low. He focused on the faint chaotic waves the emerald emitted and then amplified them by means of his own chaotic energy. By this time he knew exactly where it was among the canyon. It took a special type of person to do Chaos Pulse which is what makes Knuckles and Rogue so abnormal.

"Gotcha!" yelled Knuckles. He twirled his arms around like wheels and smashed right into the rocky surface he was standing on and dug a hole straight through. Sonic fell right into the swirling updraft the canyon was creating. He hated being in the air for this long. He couldn't move like he used to moving. But that was a thing of the past something to be forgotten because now he had the wind in his control.

"Sonic Reverse!" he yelled. The updraft repelled against the blue hedgehog and blew the entire canyon up in sand and dust. Sonic landed on the ground and looked around.

"Oops!" he stated. The canyon was crumbling with rocks overhead tumbling down like rain. Sonic looked up through the incoming debris and saw Tails. Although it was a long distance between them Sonic could feel the cold stare of Tails' eyes. Sonic knew Tails wasn't going to help out. Knuckles burst from the side of a canyon wall and rolled right behind Sonic. Knuckles was dripping wet as he glared Sonic down.

"This is the last time I'm bailing you out!" Knuckles yelled. "Vulcan!"

Knuckles fists were surrounded with fire as he raised his hands high in the air.

"Hey wait what are you doing!" Sonic yelled.

"Hold you're breath!" yelled Knuckles. The red echidna collapsed the very floor they stood on. Knuckles grabbed Sonic's hand as the glided down evading rocks that were coming down from above. They looked down and spotted what was underneath.

"It's moving!" Knuckles barked. "I don't care who get's it as long as it's ours!" Knuckles spun around one time and hurled Sonic down at an angle. Sonic was loving the rush. He and Knuckles were a team too strong for their own good. Sonic speared right into the water and was moving right with the downstream current. He opened his mouth and let out a bubble filled command.

"Sonic Inverse!" he yelled. The wind stored up from his Sonic Reverse attack came back to him and sent him soaring through the water at alarming speeds. Inside the water was dark and all Sonic had to rely on was his natural awareness while moving fast. Sonic dodged to the left as a huge boulder crashed down from above. He arrowed out his body and headed for the surface. He practically leapt out of the water and surface ran across the top. He was dodging stalagmites, stalactites, and columns with Knuckles not too far behind gliding through the water.

Sonic split through a few weak rock structures when he saw the path coming to an end. A huge wall was about a few miles on front of them and coming up fast. He dove back into the water and was sent careening from the sudden loss of speed as Knuckles quickly caught him. They were sent toward that huge wall and then down and back out to a circular tube. They were immediately sucked down toward a small drain when they caught on. Sonic was clinging on the edge holding onto the last amounts of breath that he could. He looked over at Knuckles and saw it in his hands. It was the Red Chaos Emerald in Knuckles left and holding on for dear life with his right. Knuckles was already looking back at Sonic when he nodded as if to say goodbye. He let go of his right hand and was sucked down into the tiny drain. Sonic released the last of his breathe while crying for one of his closest friends.

The water stopped.

It was almost serene just before Sonic started to float upward. He couldn't hold on anymore neither with hands or by his breath but he was floating upward and that was a good thing. The water was starting to get warmer and Sonic finally started to see what was before him. The surface. He blasted up out of the water and took in a huge breath as he did. He back flipped and landed on the edge of the sculpted well with a canopy over top. Then in an instant the water boiled down and then started to emit huge amounts of steam. The water was going up in bails of steam and the well water was decreasing. Sonic couldn't see a thing among the haze. After about a minute or so there was enough visibility to see down into the huge well.

"Knuckles! You did it!" Sonic yelled. The red-dreaded echidna was sitting on his butt at the bottom of the well with the emerald in his lap and gasping for air. The place where they entered the well was sealed with rocks and the drain was also plugged with boulders. Whatever Knuckles did he did it well. Sonic dropped along the side of the well and patted his feet against the wall. He spiraled down and back up to the rim of the well with Knuckles gripping his hand.

"Let's get outta here." Knuckles calmly stated.

"No one's leaving!" Tails barked. He was just behind the two as if he's been there.

Knuckles started it off. "Hey where were--"

"Watch out!" yelled tails. He picked them up in a blink of an eye and flew to the other side of the lagoon all to evade a Chaos Spear. The limey spear disintegrated against the concrete base of the well. There was still steam on the outset of the lagoon walls but just enough to give it a foggy feeling. There was an ominous presence to be feared here.

"Shadow!" Tails yelled.

The black hedgehog was smiling among the mist with Omega on his right and a nostalgic Rouge on his left.

"Shadow?" Sonic questioned. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to pay a few things back!" Shadow bluntly stated. "I owe it all to you Tails."

The golden fox cringed but quickly gnashed his teeth.

"Stay back! I'm killing him!" Tails yelled. Electricity was whipping through the area making the steam look like cumulonimbus's. Huge spikes of electricity erupted into the area. Sonic and Knuckles backed away from Tails since he was emitting powerful surges from his golden fur. Shadow motioned toward Omega to take on Sonic and Knuckles while Rouge looked across the field and then flapped her huge bat wings. The surrounding steam enshrouded her as she took flight rather than fight.

Tails sparked across the lagoon and threw a staggering punch right for Shadow. The black hedgehog held Tails' wrist and was taking the electricity like a pro. Shadow wrapped Tails up and was about to break Tails arm when he pulled closer to Tails' ear.

"It seems I have you to thank for my freedom." Shadow stated. Tails didn't like that. He clinched his fist when a column of electricity blasted over both of them. Tails disappeared within his own element and took cover in the few patches of steam.

"Chaos Control." yelled Shadow.

Omega soared over to where Sonic and Knuckles were swiped for Knuckles with a huge metallic fist. Knuckles raised his right arm to block and then punched Omega square in the chest. The robot was sent back a few yards but he didn't care. He didn't register pain. Omega landed and opened up the huge compartments on his shoulders to reveal the huge missile ports all around. One after another missiles launched toward Knuckles like a machine gun's bullets would. They were en route to collide with Knuckles when the blue blur appeared between certain death and a friend. Sonic held his hands to his head and made sort of a funny face and then took off. The missiles had a new target now. They soared after the hedgehog moving at a hundred miles an hour – he was making sure the missiles were right on him. Knuckles emblazoned his fist and then cut right into the ground. He was just as fast a digger as Tails was a flyer or Sonic was at running.

"This one is annoying!" Omega called out. The ground rumbled and a huge arc of fire rose from the upturned ground. The robot folded his arms and produced an energy shield strong enough to withstand the superheated flames.

That arc of fire missed.

Omega turned around to watch the fire go by when Knuckles appeared and literally smashed through the shield and dented Omega's chasse. Omega wouldn't be using that energy shield anymore.

Tails was holding his hand in that infamous position – pointed with his finger like the barrel of a gun – and holding it downward. Tails felt Shadow's position all around but couldn't pinpoint it. Tails heard the leaves rustle around him and he turned and held up his hand and saw remnants of Shadow leaving another Chaos Control.

"You tried to kill me…" Shadow stated throughout the steam of the field.

Tails didn't reply.

"But really you saved me!" Shadow yelled. He appeared directly in front of Tails just as the fox raised his hand.

"Lightning's Tail!" yelled the fox. Shadow wrapped up Tails wrist right under his armpit and then head butted the fox. Tails wasn't backing down. The fox gripped the underside of Shadow's arm and pointed his other hand right between the eyes of the black hedgehog. In the meantime Tails had managed to transfer the energy from his left hand into his right which was now fully charged and inches away from Shadow's brain.

Shadow smiled. "Do it!"

Tails figuratively pulled the trigger. It was like being in a thundercloud at that point. The sound deafened and the light was blinding. Tails was even thrown back as a result of his own display of power. The electricity was still surging in front of the fox and so was this dark figure.

Shadow would live another day.

He was like a demon as a silhouette showed him walking closer to Tails. His long spines were waving in the soft winds and his eyes were piercing straight into Tails' mind. Miles Prower got up and started up with more electricity but he didn't feel it. He was out of juice.

A strong wind sliced right between the fox and hedgehog when a rain of infinite missiles rained over Shadow. It was so out of the blue but that's the kind of thing Sonic the Hedgehog was known for. He stood in front of Tails and watched explosion after explosion.

"He's still in there." Sonic stated.

Tails ran right past Sonic right after the last explosion but stopped dead in his tracks. There, on his knees with eyes plastered on the sky above, was Shadow and just behind him was the second black hedgehog. The one in the back was all smiles as he simply looked down at the defeated Shadow at his feet. The standing hog laid a hand on the downed one when it simply faded out of existence.

"Shadow's of a Ghost." Shadow explained. "And now that you're tuckered out, I can kill you with ease."

Tails built up some electricity but it discharged and ended up shocking himself. The fox fell to his knees with Sonic just in front of him.

"Alright, you false imitation, lets get this beat down started!" Sonic stated with a full capacity of wind and energy left. At any moment the blue hedgehog could take off. Deep down the black hedgehog knew he was just fast enough to outrace Tails or Knuckles but he was no where near Sonic's vanishing act.

"Crystal Enclosure!" yelled Rouge. Sonic was surrounded by a purple hexagon and would be subdued from going any place else. Rouge floated down just beside Shadow and waved at Sonic. This wasn't going to be good. The Freedom Fighters had a traitor in their midst.

"Rouge, no!" yelled Sonic. But his voice was very faint in that crystal jail.

Shadow smiled. "Which one of you has the Chaos Emerald?"

"Sonic and Tails gritted their teeth. Not this again.

Tails gnashed. "I'd die before I let you--"

Shadow picked up Tails by the throat and started to squeeze. Shadow started to glow with orchid and periwinkle auras as he held up Tails.

"It's almost too easy." said Shadow.

Tails was dropped to the ground as Knuckles clamped down Shadow's own neck. Knuckles reeled back his massive fire induced fists and hammered away at Shadow's face and head. Shadow was in and out of consciousness with each hit. Knuckles was let go of Shadow and then slammed him in the stomach. The black hedgehog tumbled across the ground and then slid right before Rouge's legs.

"Take your sh_t!" Knuckles picked up Omega's remains and tossed right in front of Shadow and Rouge. The Red echidna simply knocked on Rouge's Crystal Enclosure and freed Sonic from entrapment.

"You want the Emerald, come and get it!" Knuckles yelled. He clutched his fists and displayed his raw power before Shadow and Rouge. The black hedgehog was pissed off. He had never taken such blunt abuse. He took a step forward when he kicked against one of Omega's scattered parts. The robot who sought freedom was now free from the chains of life.

"Knuckles has the Emerald child, what should we do?" Rouge informed.

Shadow gritted his teeth. "Chaos Control!"

The three disappeared among the chaos energy never to be seen again today.

The three heroes were left alone among the beginning stages of a night sky. Knuckles held Tails over his shoulder as they started their long trek back to Amy and Rotor. Dry Lagoon was partially tattered from the fight but most of the statues and fixtures were in tact. This place, like the Freedom Fighters, would live to see another day. And the next day would be the mission at hand.

There was still a World Between Worlds to be explored.

**Hope everyone enjoyed the New Year and the wait for Sonic 51. Let me know what you thought about the first issue of this new arc. This arc is definitely going to be more planned out than the last two since I found a few plot-holes and stuff… haha… but yeah Sonic 51 in 2010. Also there are a few more pics put up on if you haven't already looked. My account is under the profile /Givannivan so check those out when you get a chance…**


	22. The World Between Worlds

"I think that about does it." Rotor stepped back from his work.

The Star posts were fixed up and raring to go. They were tall and colored red, blue, yellow and white like the more popular ones seen before. They were only a few feet apart each powered and connected to individual machines working off of solar power. It was in the late stages of dawn with about a half hour left until the heat of the desert day would come. The night was still present but effectively fading out. Sonic and the others were still tired not only from an unexpected fight yesterday but the travel too.

"Way to get the old lead out Rote." Sonic congratulated Rotor.

"Oh this is going to be so amazing!" Amy started. "I wonder if we'll go through a special stage."

"Nah, no special stages in wormhole travel, just a lot of colors and chaos." Knuckles explained.

"Hey Knuckles, what's the difference?" Sonic asked with a know-it-all-sort of tone. Amy laughed a bit which caused Knuckles to get a little embarrassed.

"Don't be mad if you get shoved out of the wormhole you stupid pin cushion." Knuckles stated.

"Let's make this happen Freedom Fighters, I don't want to be out in a new world for a long time."

"So what do we do Rote?" Sonic asked, "Run through it at exactly eighty-eight miles an hour or what?"

"It's gonna have to be a little faster than that Sonic, it's gotta be enough juice to make the top of the Starposts spin at least fifty times to make a wormhole appear."

"No prob bob, this one's mine!" Sonic stepped back.

Meanwhile just outside of Station Square…

"Well this isn't exactly what I expected." Rouge started. She was sitting on the huge cables of this radical highway bridge foundation just above Shadow. She wore a smug look on her face as Shadow stared off at the traffic close by.

"I can't believe you went through all of that trouble to break Omega out of jail only to have that failure Knuckles to destroy him." Rouge kept going.

"Quiet." Shadow yelled.

"I thought you were a genius, a mastermind even, and then this happens. Oh well it's not like we needed the tin can anyway."

"This is the last time, Rouge." Shadow turned around with rippling Chaos Energy around him.

"Even if we could find somebody to fix the junk it wouldn't be done right. I mean its Doctor Robotnik's work – irreplaceable and unimitatable."

Shadow grabbed Rouge's shoulder and held back the other hand with a boiling Chaos Spear ready to go. Plastered on Rouge's face was a smug smile followed by a roll of her eyes.

"You're not gonna kill me, especially when I can find the emeralds for ya, and I know it's why you kept Knuckles alive too." Rouge assumed.

"It's nearby isn't it." Shadow released his grip on Rouge.

"Station Square, Lower East Side Underground and Moving." Rouge rattled off.

"The subways." Shadow immediately knew, "Chaos Control."

Shadow blinked away in an instant as Rouge sighed.

"What happened to being a gentleman?" Rouge scoffed as she lifted her huge wings and took to the skies.

Meanwhile back in the confines of Knothole…

"Rouge the Bat was last seen in the Knothole Brig with other Freedom Fighters at the time. Once Shadow arrived she hinted at leaving with him and then just outright said it." Princess Sally explained.

"Geez, I hadn't any clue Rouge was like that." Sir Charles started. Sally was explaining to the rest of the council about the actions of the Freedom Fighters. Before the council was a pretty decent audience and press members documenting the meeting. Among the seven council members were Princess Sally Acorn, Sir Charles, Hamlin Chopper, A chairman of police, health, and fire departments, A District governor, A Knothole Community Leader, and a citizen who is a city worker and has an outstanding volunteer record with Nicole moderating the council of course.

"Have the other Freedom Fighters been contacted about this?" asked Duke. He was the Police, health and fire chairman. He was an old Buffalo who had dealings with all three of the civilian departments. His brown fur was starting to turn grey and his glasses were extra thick.

"There is no way we can contact them once they venture through the wormhole Sir Duke." Nicole started. "Most likely though they have not encountered the forces of Shadow and Rouge.

"Its troublesome to say this but we're going to have to label Rouge a criminal now." stated Melvin. She was the city worker who spent her free time volunteering. Her selflessness paid off with a seat on the council. She was a deer and looked quite young.

"I agree." George added. "Rouge will only cause problems if we don't make an example of her now." George was a Cardinal and apparently straight to the point. He's served on this kind of thing for a while now as a District Governor.

"Now wait just a second." Princess Sally started. "Can we at least give some type of waiting period?"

"You see this is the kind of thing that ruined the Crown's original government." Hamlin Chopper started. "Providing Rouge with a period of time only suggests she can do whatever she wants in the allotted amount of time before coming back and becoming a law abiding citizen again."

"Considering her record, Sir Hamlin, Rouge has done outstanding work for Knothole and has done so ever since she's been here. She's performed above and beyond the necessary requirements; surely she has earned a bit of a waiting period." Nicole reasoned.

Hamlin huffed.

The pig didn't really care for Nicole or for what she had to say. It didn't matter though; Nicole didn't get any votes, only say in the matter. Everyone else on the council though had a vote but Sir Charles and Princess Sally each had one extra vote making them senior leaders on the council.

"I like to think that everyone in our community gets a few chances to make a major mistake. This can be Rouge's." the community leader, Sarah, started. "It teaches them resolve and responsibility."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Hamlin yelled.

"Hamlin, quiet down…" The Sir Charles stated. He was the original "Sir" dubbed by King Max so he had a bit of weight to throw around especially when quieting down certain council members. "Let's take a vote then, get this li'l old discussion underway.

Melvin, George and Hamlin all voted in favor of the blacklist.

Sir Charles, Princess Sally, and Sarah voted against.

Duke was on the fence but it still went Sally's way.

"I propose a two week time period before we report or spot any heinous activity done by Rouge the Bat herself."

"Granted." Sir Charles stated after waiting a few seconds for rebuttal.

The audience below was in a small uproar before they moved on to the next order of business.

"Let's talk about the Freedom Fighters and their mission." started Sir Charles turned toward Nicole and Sally.

"Right their mission." Sally cleared her throat. "They are on a mission to the World Between Worlds in order to find someone."

"Who are they looking for?" asked Hamlin.

"That is on a need-to-know basis, Sir Hamlin." Nicole got a bit snippy."

"It's okay Nicole," Sally eased her friend down a bit. "The Freedom Fighters are on a quest to find the ones who exiled themselves."

Sir Charles nodded his head. He knew exactly who that was while the others were still ready to ask questions.

"I think that deserves a little explanation." Duke stated.

"Now now Sir Duke, the princess has every right not to reveal just who is the priority of this mission."

"So this has to do with something personal." Hamlin exclaimed.

"Permission to move on councilmen?" Nicole questioned.

"Granted." Sally exclaimed.

"You can't dodge this Princess!" Hamlin yelled.

"Let's talk about the trade between the last major powers in the free world." Sir Charles changed the subject.

"Station Square, Knothole, and Angel Island want to begin a trading system to try and bring everyone up to technological and economical equality." Melvin read from a few notes.

"What are everyone's thoughts on this matter?" Sir Charles hosted the conversation.

Sally stood up. "I think the trade will be a good thing. Our labs here in Knothole are currently using outdated machinery which Station Square will be able to provide and our hospitals could use the medical practices of Angel Island."

"I'm afraid I will have to oppose." Hamlin stood up. This guy was turning out to be a real pain in the backside. "The trade will open up for Knothole to be walked upon by the big corporations of Station Square and to be begged upon by the relic civilization of Angel Island."

Nicole actually sighed; even this guy frustrated her.

Meanwhile back in Station Square…

Shadow grabbed the emerald and held it up in the air. The clear color of the jewel flickered with what little light it was given. Shadow felt the power coursing through his veins as Rouge flew down next to him. They were on a closed off subway platform with a few flickering lights and trash scattered on the ground.

"Oh good you found it." Rouge smiled.

"Where's the next one?" Shadow asked.

"Can't we take a break, we just got here." Rouge complained. "I wanted to check out a few casinos and maybe a few jewelry stores, ooh and maybe hit a nightclub or something."

"Pointless pursuits." Shadow stated. "The emeralds are all my priority."

"Chaos Emeralds this Chaos Emeralds that!" Rouge went on. "It's all you do, child! Emeralds aren't all that brilliant anyway, diamonds are the real deal."

"Diamonds don't give you your memory back."

"Speak for yourself, hedgehog… wait, is that what this is about?"

"Where's the next emerald?"

"Tell me what's going on."

Shadow huffed. He wanted to choke her so bad but he needed her so he subsided himself.

"After coming to a draw with Super Sonic and you and Sally rescued Sonic and I, Tails placed his hands on me and began to run electricity through my head."

"Yeah, I remember that." Rouge folded her arms just under her breasts.

"The spark began to bring my memory back of all these foreign places in my head and these people too. There is one image that runs through my head and it's me holding the Chaos Emeralds and transforming."

Rouge nearly fell asleep. "Yeah I guess that explains everything."

"Where's the nearest emerald?"

"Hold out the emerald." Rouge commanded. Shadow tossed the emerald to Rouge as she rolled her eyes. She gave the emerald back to Shadow and instructed him to hold it.

"If I can use your Chaos Energy with my own I can get a better grasp of where all of them are." Rouge explained.

Shadow smiled. "Thank you Rouge."

"No problem Shadow."

"I've decided not to kill you when were finished."

Meanwhile at the Desert Ruins Starposts sight…

Sonic blasted through the Starposts using Sonic Gust and made the heavy ball-topped Starposts spin around with ease. Sonic circled back around to the rest of the Freedom Fighters and watch the show. The two Starposts were whirling around creating friction between them. There was visible energy between the two when a wormhole appeared before them. It was like a clear sphere that looked like a mirage with the desert sands rippling like when cold air meets hot air.

"Everyone hold hands." Tails commanded. "We're going in."

Sonic grabbed onto Amy's hand who grabbed Tails who then grabbed Knuckles and Rotor brings up the rear. Sonic turned on the speed and used Sonic Gust again. The blasted right through the wormhole.

They were traveling through what seemed to be like the pipeline special stage of Sonic and Tails first adventure but everything was in shambles. The pipelines weren't completed and the colors were all in disarray. The neat shades and colors that could be seen up above in the special sky were replaced by a starry sky. Then it all flashed white and Sonic was running through along a wide highway colored with reds greens and grays. Below this vast highway was nothing but fog. They were still running in connected single file as they looked up to see several other highways up above them. Seemingly endless they went on forever in the sky above. The place flashed white again and the Freedom Fighters were darting through on a trail of lighted tiles blinking to sound of up-tempo house music. It was like they were in a city as they darted through. They passed a few familiar bonus spots like the electric room or the gambler wheel and even saw a special stage up above. It all flashed white again when The Freedom Fighters passed through the broken pipeline stage again. Then it all started to fade to sunlight and the next thing they knew they were darting across water. Sonic released Amy's hand and darted across the liquid.

Sonic loved every second of it.

He was kicking up huge amounts of water as he darted across this vast lake. He took a deep turn went up this huge anomaly at the lakes center. He darted up it like a ramp and did several flips and landed on the water and continued running. He slid across the lake and right onto the beach to meet up with his soaked teammates.

"Oh this is great! I love this place already." Sonic yelled. Tails tightened his fist as he approached Sonic.

"Watch your back, hedgehog." Tails threatened.

"Yeah there might be a knife there." Sonic played into it.

"Oh my gosh! This is it!" Amy exclaimed. "We're here!"

Amy ran and practically tackled Sonic into the sand. She was shaking Sonic back and forth in her raw excitement.

"We're here! We finally made it and in one piece too!" Amy exclaimed.

"Amy you're killing me." Sonic said through Amy's hold on his neck.

"Oh sorry." Amy chuckled.

"Where are we anyway?" asked Sonic.

"Never Lake." Rotor stated.

"Didn't you notice the big chain in the lake?" asked Knuckles.

"Chain? What chain?" asked Sonic.

"You used it as a ramp before you somersaulted of it." Amy's excitement was replaced by annoyance.

Sonic looked over the lake and really recognized it. A memory reel occurred and he remembered what this place really was. He came here through a wormhole in his younger years. Just after he defeated Robotnik for the first he passed through a wormhole a few months after and found Robotnik messing with the moon that appears once a year around this time. The moon had special time inducing properties to it which made it hard for Sonic to track through the moon. It was at the end of this journey where he faced a new threat, Metal Sonic, and raced him through Stardust Speedway to save Amy Rose and effectively stop Robotnik from his plans. Now they were back on a mission for Knothole.

"It's coming back to me now." asked Sonic. He was remembering some terrible memories of just exactly who Amy Rose was. She was annoying, bratty, clingy, and always wanted Sonic's attention. She was pretty much a fan girl.

"Oh Sonic isn't this just romantic." Amy stated.

"…Yeah." Sonic stated.

"So where do we start?" asked Knuckles.

"Good question." Rotor replied. "I don't know where to begin."

"I have a map." Tails stated. "We head east."

The group looked among themselves.

"How do you have a map?" asked Knuckles.

"That's for me to know, Knuckles, not you. Now let's go." Tails commanded. Rotor looked around and saw that the wormhole was still open behind them. The Starposts were doing their job. They would be working all through the sunlit day back on Mobius and storing that solar energy for the night use. That wormhole would take an eternity to give out.

"I want to get there as fast as possible so let's go." Tails commanded.

"Guess I better put the pedal to the medal then." Sonic claimed. "Everybody stay close! Sonic Gust!"

Nothing happened.

"Sonic Gust!" Sonic exclaimed.

Nothing happened.

"What's going on? I don't feel any wind." Knuckles stated.

"Sonic quit wasting time and do it right!" Tails snapped.

"You try your powers then Miles!" yelled Sonic.

Tails lifted his hand right in front of Sonic's face and released.

Nothing happened.

"What's going on!" Tails exclaimed.

"Our powers are gone!" Amy yelled.

"Ha ha!" Rotor chuckled as the other four turn to him with the stink eye.

"It get's worse guys." Knuckles started. "I don't feel anybody's Chaos Energy either."

"Say What!" Sonic questioned.

"And it get's even worse!" Knuckles stated. "I thought I had the Red Chaos Emerald but it took on another shape and color."

"It's Maroon?" Rotor examined. "And it's cut is Brilliant Cut not like the Old European Cut we're used to seeing."

"At least we still have our other abilities." Amy started while picking up her hammer. Their items all fell out of their Chaos Energy after a few minutes of entry to the World Between Worlds.

"Yeah…" the others sighed.

"I don't like this place." Sonic started.

Amy took that to heart.

Meanwhile somewhere in The World Between Worlds…

Shadow and Rouge appear in a darkened Room.

"What did you do?" asked Shadow.

"Me? I thought you did that!" yelled Rouge.

"Who's there!" yelled a voice from the other side of the room.

What happened to the Emerald?" asked Shadow.

"I'm warning you!" yelled the voice again. It was approaching from the sound of it.

"I'll take care of this." Shadow stated. "Lay low."

Omega's remains appear and smash against the metal floor.

"Hide." Rouge stated. Shadow ducked away behind a few metal crates with Rouge.

"Something is wrong." Rouge started. "I can't feel any Chaos Energy, my powers are gone and the Emerald has changed shape and color."

"This isn't good at all." Shadow started, "All I have to rely on is my speed now."

The door opened and a silhouette appeared in the midst of the light.

"No way!" Rouge stated.

She could easily see in the dark and made out the figure before her. The crisp glasses and excessively long mustache proved it all. They made their way into the heart of these awful confines.

"Robotnik!" Rouge screamed.

**Man I hate cliffhangers but hey… their just a natural part of life. Anyway hope you enjoyed Number 22 of Sonic 51. I was reading Return to grace and noticed I left out the name of the website where I post my photos so let me just repeat that again. /Givannivan. Thanks for reading again and be sure to leave comments/reviews wherever you feel necessary. **


	23. Mother and Child

"Sonic slow down!" yelled Amy Rose.

The blue blur rolled his eyes and came to a slow halt. He slumped his shoulders and turned around to see Amy struggling to keep up. The rest of the team was still raring to go except this pink hedgehog.

Amy knocked Sonic on the head.

"I told you to slow down a long time ago." Amy yelled.

"I thought you were joking!" Sonic returned.

"Joking!" Amy semi-laughed. "Do you know where we are? This is a new and foreign place, why would I possibly be joking around about that kind of thing?"

"Oh pardon me for not being able to read your stupid mixed signals." Sonic blurted out.

"Hey hedgehogs." Knuckles interrupted. "Shut up!"

Amy was seething with anger but she held it in. She looked to Tails who had an expression that read: join the club.

"Can we go now?" Sonic asked Rotor. "I'm getting' bored just standing here."

The Freedom Fighters were standing in some old ancient ruins. There were massive limestone columns all around with gold trimming. Ivy was growing everywhere and there were more waterfalls and streams here than anything. The sun was high in the sky showing there was plenty of sunlight left in the day. The Freedom Fighters would make the best of there time after this short break.

"We're getting close." Tails stated. "We've got another half-days travel before we get to a major civilization."

Rotor and Knuckles look at each other.

"Where did you get that map Tails?" asked Rotor.

"Will you stop asking me that!?" Tails snapped.

Knuckles didn't back down. He stepped right up to the six-tailed fox and got in his face. Knuckles snatched the map from Tails hands and looked it up and down. He placed two hands at the top and started to rip it.

"All you gotta do is tell me." Knuckles started.

"I found it." Tails rolled his eyes.

"Oh." Knuckles stated and handed it back. Tails looked it over one more time and put it away.

"You're so gullible it hurts my brain." Sonic stated.

"Shut up hog!" Knuckles swatted at him.

"Are we done resting Amy?" Tails asked.

Amy was lost in her own world. "…Oh uh, yes Tails, let's go."

"Bout time." Sonic stated. He blasted off in a flurry of wind and heard seconds later was the breaching of the sound barrier. The Freedom Fighters followed the trail of upturned soil and scattering leaves to catch up to Sonic.

Meanwhile somewhere in The World Between Worlds…

The entity finally left the room after examining the remains of Omega for nearly fifteen minutes. Rouge and Shadow sat tight in their hiding positions just inches away from the Overlander lord, Robotnik, until he left. The room was still dark but it gave them both good cover to hide. The door slammed shut and locked.

Shadow rose to his feet and started to walk toward the door.

"Shadow where are you going?! Stay here!" Rouge whisper-yelled.

"I'm going to get Omega back." Shadow replied. He tugged on the doors handle and got nothing in return. They were sealed in.

"Are you insane!? That's Robotnik out there!" Rouge pointed. "He's gonna torture you and then make you robot!"

"You think I don't know that."

Rouge put herself between the door and Shadow. "I'm not letting you do this."

"I didn't think you cared so much."

"Just follow my lead."

Rouge closed her eyes and focused on her hearing. She opened her mouth to emit a high frequency screech unheard by Shadow. Her ears twitched as she opened her eyes.

"C'mon." Rouge leapt up onto a crate and kicked through a grate. The ventilation duct was open now.

"Go straight, Right, right, left, straight, left, straight and drop down and stay low." Rouge commanded.

"What's…"

"Go now or you'll get caught!" Rouge waved Shadow in. The black hedgehog jumped up into the duct and curled into a ball. He bounced around within the duct barely remembering the directions made by Rouge. He took his last left and saw the light at the end. He burst out of the vent and arched down into a bush.

Shadow peered through the greenery to see a platoon of outdated E-series robots walking the grounds. Shadow tried to build up some Chaos powers but nothing happened. He was somehow out of his own energy. The platoon rounded the corner as Rouge emerged from up above with spread wings.

"Are you sure this is the doctors place of dwelling?" asked Shadow. Rouge looked around.

The place was beautiful.

This was a true to life garden. There were many huge bushes shaped like animals and the greenest grass all over the ground. The sky up above was a vivid blue and the flowers in the ground were practically rainbow assorted. There were buildings scattered about and all with solar panels on the roofs. There were mostly tall skyscrapers and medium sized buildings in this little sector of the world.

"I've been all over Mobius but I've never seen anything like this." Rouge stated.

"I remember this place." Shadow stated.

"You do?" Rouge asked. She looked around noticed surrounding the whole entire area was a huge and impenetrable force field. This place was protected – either from the outside or from the inside.

"We need to investigate." Rouge commanded.

Meanwhile with the Freedom Fighters…

The Freedom Fighters dart through a jungle area with forestation covering everything. It was hard to keep up a solid 720mph so they reduced down to 300 and kept a cruising speed. Sonic lead the way passing through trees and mowing down dead and fallen foliage too. Then it came to a point where all there would be is dead plants.

The jungle had a huge scar in it with nothing but ash and a terrible smell.

After they examined the fallen forest area they sped off again and made their way up and through a mountain range. Knuckles lead the way this time. Sacrificing speed for power made all the difference this time. Knuckles smashed through tons of rock each time he lifted a fist. They barreled through this World Between Worlds like it was their own. Knuckles smashed through another obstacle when lava poured out. Knuckles barely dodged the liquid fire.

"Follow me!" yelled Amy. She gripped her hammer tight and swung at the floor. The hammer merely squeaked against the unmoving rock.

"Oh yeah I forgot. No powers." Amy smiled.

Sonic got into the middle of the group and started spinning in place. The blue blur became a blue tornado and drilled down through the rock. The Freedom Fighters quickly followed and fell into a grotto.

"Hurry up man!" Rotor yelled. He was last down the hole with lava quickly chasing after him. The Freedom Fighters looked ahead and saw that water was getting sucked underground. They had no other choice. They jumped in with Knuckles holding Sonic's hand. The water tunnel slammed them around like rag dolls. It felt like an eternity within the suction of the water. They nearly let their breaths go because the jet stream was whipping them around so hard. Eventually they burst out of a waterfall and into a vast two-foot high lake.

"We're alive!" Rotor sighed.

"But where are we?" asked Knuckles.

Tails consulted the map. "A small village."

This little nook in the world was a cozy little village just in between this huge mountain wall and the edge of the forest. There were straw huts scattered about and many animals doing labor for their village.

"This reminds me of the old knothole." Sonic said after going through a memory reel about Knothole. "C'mon let's go meet some of the locals!"

"No. We have a mission and we're sticking to it." Tails gnashed.

"And we'll get to it once we get a round of chili dogs, big guy." Sonic waved the fox off.

Tails clinched his fists and his teeth.

"Well now that you mention it." Knuckles agreed. A boom occurred and the Freedom Fighters turned around. There were huge amounts of water gushing from the rock wall, splitting the sides of the hole.

"That's not good." Rotor stated. "The lava must have solidified to increase the water pressure even more."

The walls split from the pressure and out came the water. It rushed over the lake making it rise and rise. The village was too close to the lakeside and would be swept up in a flash flood.

"We gotta go tell those guys!" Sonic stated before blasting off into the village. He ran through the village and its workers trying to alert everyone. People were running from him rather than the flood. The villagers that were stationed at the lakeside saw for themselves and commanded for the gates to rise. The water rushed out of the gates and out somewhere else among the land.

The village was safe for now.

The Freedom Fighters met up with each other at the beach when a crowd gathered around. They were pretty unhappy to be saved since all of them had clubs and bats and a few blades.

"What are the Freedom Fighters doing here?" asked the leader of this little band.

The five were stunned as the crowd reeled back a bit.

Sonic rubbed the underside of his nose and walked forward. The crowd took some more steps back.

"Sonic's my name and speed is my game." he announced.

"Don't try that!... We know who you are! Now why are you here!" another voice in the crowd exclaimed. Sonic looked them over and noticed that most of them were trembling. Some weren't even daring to look into Sonic's eyes. Did Sonic's reputation pass even through wormholes?

"Wait! Don't hurt him!" yelled a voice.

Sonic's ears twitched. It was a voice he hadn't heard since he was a child. His eyes started to well up with tears almost instantaneously. The crowd started to part and look back as the bearer of that voice walked through. She was a robot but had the likeness of a hedgehog and was as blue as the sky above. She stepped right before Sonic and looked up into her sons eyes.

She didn't doubt for a second that this was her kin and neither did the blue blur. They hugged a powerful embrace without saying a word. Sonic's skin tingled against his mothers cold exterior. They parted only for a little bit to look more upon each other.

"Oh Ogilvie, you've grown so much." said Bernadette Hedgehog.

"Mom…" Sonic stated.

Meanwhile back inside the force field dome…

The hedgehog and the bat were standing in front of this egg shaped skyscraper with a beautiful garden surrounding them. The air was crisp and there was no wind inside the dome. It was a sanctuary among the world.

"I think we've got all the information on this place we need." Rouge stated. "I can't believe we're actually here."

"Believe what you want to believe." Shadow started. "But for now I'm getting my robot back."

"You're just going to go up there?"

"He's not like ours, Rouge. I have no fear of him." Shadow burst through the doors and alerted many robots in the process. Rouge was right behind him showing she would go along with things for now. The robots all turned toward Shadow and raised their figurative white flags. These things were as docile as kittens.

"Are they going to shoot?" asked Rouge. Shadow approached a quivering robot and eased the gun out of its hands. Shadow pulled the trigger and water came out.

"Great, their gardeners." Rouge smiled.

"Then that means Omega's going to be turned into one too." Shadow dropped the water gun and headed for the elevator. Rouge poured in too as they accelerate up the pipeline. They pass too many floors to count until they got to central command of the largest skyscraper in the dome. The doors slide open and Shadow and Rouge step out. A laser is aimed right at them and fires as soon as they step out. It entraps both of them in the same technology as the dome overhead.

"Way to go, you got us into a trap." Rouge leaned against the bubble.

"Look over there." Shadow pointed.

Quivering behind the mobile chair of the lab was a skinny mustached man. He was bald and wore circular glasses. He had a pair of goggles on his forehead and wore a red overcoat with white zippers and yellow squared buttons. Black pants and boots that followed a similar design.

"Stay back, I don't want to hurt!" yelled this supposed Robotnik. He was holding a handled leash in his hand as he waved it to and fro at Rouge and Shadow.

"Ugh, this is embarrassing." Rouge wiped her face.

"Doctor Robotnik?" Shadow questioned.

"You… don't know who I am?" he stopped his quivering.

"We're kind of new to this neck of the woods." Rouge explained. The skinny and tall overlander walked from behind the chair and toward his captives. He looked them over and under and finally released them. He knelt down to Shadow and Rouge's level and presented a hand and hearty smile.

"I'm Doctor Ovi Kintobor, welcome to Kintopolis."

"Nice to meet you Doctor, I'm Rouge, Rouge the Bat and this is my friend Shadow."

Shadow simply nodded with folded arms.

"Shadow?" Doctor Kintobor questioned. "Is that what you call yourself these days?"


	24. The Mirror Reflects

Sonic sat nestled between his two metal clad parents.

On the hero's left was his loving mother named Bernadette Hedgehog, nicknamed Bernie. She was always proud of her little boy especially since he was born with a rare speed gene. Bernie wore a simple purple sundress over her light blue metal chasse. There was only blond imitation hair coming down from her head and between the pointy ears. Even though she was in a robots body she never lost the talent for making a great home cooked meal. The table before her family and friends was laid out with mostly chili dogs and a few other important commodities.

Sonic felt another intense hug from his mother and then a nudge in the arm by his old man.

Sonic's father Jules was almost too proud of his son but kept it more reserved than his wife. He had a swoop of mock white hair coming from just above his forehead. Jules was dark blue in appearance while wearing pretty much nothing at all. The nudist law hadn't taken effect here. Jules roboticism was actually on purpose since he had contracted the NIDS disease. The disease was incurable and still is but the process could be halted if one was completely artificial. Jules brilliant inventor brother, Charles, constructed the roboticizer as a means to an end for his sibling, until an Overlander named Julian found out.

"Here you go baby extra chili on your hot dog." Bernie smiled.

"No really mom, that's enough."

"Nonsense eat up, you're a growing boy." Jules interjected.

"Yeah Sonic," Knuckles smiled. "Maybe if you eat enough you'll finally hit that sixty pound mark you've been trying to get for years."

"And maybe if you took a few breath mints your mouth wouldn't smell so bad."

Knuckles slumped in his chair.

"Can you pass the fish?" asked Rotor. Amy grabbed the pan full of grilled fish and passed it down the table.

"I can't believe you made all of this for us in a few hours, Bernie." stated Amy.

"I like to believe my cooking speed is what inspired my boy to be so fast on his feet." Bernie happily replied.

"It's been fifteen years since you said that and it still isn't funny." Jules replied. Bernie swatted at him with the towel on her shoulder. Although their voices barely raised out of monotone the two had come to a sort of unity and bond to understand each other be it a joke or a statement. Jules recoiled at the towel swipe as Bernie finally sat down to her table.

"Now I guess we can start talking about how you all got here." Jules folded his arms.

Sonic nearly choked before swallowing the last of his eight chili dog. "Okay! So we're on this mission where we have to go through these starposts to find this guy were s'pposed to take back to Knothole. So we get up to sonic speed and blast through portal and there's all this crazy stuff in between when we finally get here. So we run across the planet and through a few mountains until we came splashing in a lake."

The look on Bernie and Jules face still begged for more answers.

"That's only a slice of what we've been through." Tails said just before wiping his mouth with a napkin. "We we're sent here by the Princess Sally Acorn in order to retrieve a man and take him back to Knothole."

"Princess Sally!" Bernie jumped for joy. "You mean little Princess Sally! Jules do you remember Sally!"

"I do…" Jules waved off.

"She used to say hello to me every day and bring me flowers. Sure they were dandelions but it was the thought that counts." Bernie went on. "She was so nice. Sonic why don't you take her to one your social functions."

"I'm kind of dating Amy, mom." Sonic gestured to the pink hedgehog.

"Who?"

"…Hi…" Amy waved.

"Mm-hmm…" Bernie looked Amy and down."

"How is my brother doing, Tails?" asked Jules.

"Sir Charles is second head of the council now and seems to be doing well." Tails explained.

"Is he still inventing?" asked Bernie.

"Nah, that time's passed. He's retired." Rotor explained.

"That's my brother." Jules stated.

A silence swiftly passed through the room.

"I think it's our turn to ask some questions." said Knuckles.

"Yeah he's right." Tails interrupted. "Where can we find Elias Acorn?"

Bernie and Jules looked at each other and then grew saddened.

"He's in this village right?" Tails poked.

"Elias!" Knuckles rose from his chair. "We're here to retrieve Elias!?"

"Knuckles have a seat!" Tails commanded.

"Who's Elias?" asked Sonic.

"The heir to the Acorn throne and rightful prince to the city of Knothole." Tails explained. "Princess Sally sent us here to get her brother and have him take his stand on the throne. He was supposed to do it when the Freedom Fighters were founded and he chickened out. No one knew where he went after that."

"That's because he went with us." Jules explained. "Bernie, myself and Elias all exiled ourselves since we were the reason for Julian's rise to power."

"So where is he now?" asked Amy.

Bernie rolled her eyes.

"He's been taken." Jules started. "You see our little village owns a mine just inside the forest. We mine whatever we can find in there and give it up to them. Last few months we haven't met out quota and they took Elias as a bargaining chip."

"Wait who are they?" asked Amy.

"Ooh child, that's none or your business." Bernie said nonchalantly. "Even if we could speak their name we would but they've got eyes and ears all over the world."

"Over the world, eh." Sonic questioned. "Nobody's that good. Except me."

"Can you tell us where they took him?" asked Knuckles.

"To the northeast. A hidden city known as Braidwell." Jules explained.

"Oh that's a cute name." Amy smiled.

Bernie rolled her eyes. "I suppose you think there's something cute about having our village leader locked away for some stupid rocks don't you."

"Mom…" Sonic called.

"I can't believe you're going out with someone like this! Didn't I raise you to have better standards than this."

"Mom chill out!" Sonic commanded.

"I always told you that Sally girl was gonna be a miracle worker."

"Mom I was five! And can you at least respect Amy to her face."

Amy held her head down low.

Bernie looked at Sonic and then to Amy. "You're not good enough for my son. I can tell just by looking at ya."

"Bernie that's enough." Jules finally stopped it. Although on some level he enjoyed it.

Amy stood up with tears welling in her eyes. "I'd like to be excused for a moment." Amy got up from the table and walked to the front door just a few paces away.

"I should go talk to her." Sonic slowly got up and started walking toward the end of the table. Rotor put a hand on his shoulder and then got up out of his chair.

"I don't think that's a good idea. She may try to kill you." Rotor said in so many words. "I'll keep her company until she cools off."

Sonic feared for his life in a matter a few seconds. "Yeah I'll wait it out. Do your thing Rote."

"Mr. and Mrs. Hedgehog if you'll excuse me please…" Rotor asked.

Bernie had an impressed look on her face. "You are."

Rotor left the table and joined Amy outside.

"Why'd you do that mom?" asked Sonic.

"You don't think I know you, huh?" asked Bernie.

Sonic shrugged.

"She's right son. Ever since you were a baby you've always worn your heart on your sleeve. You couldn't keep a secret and when you did you were terrible at holding it." Jules explained.

"The moment you saw us you would have told us about your new… floozy." Bernie added.

"Geez…" Sonic managed to say.

"Mother knows best." Bernie smiled.

"I'd like to add that she has been stalking him for a while before they actually got together." Knuckles smiled.

"You just love killing me softly huh?" Sonic questioned before slamming his head onto the table.

"Floozy or not she is still valuable to the team." Tails stated. "I need to know if she's going to be ready to go to Braidwell tonight."

"Tonight?" Jules and Bernie questioned.

"Yes tonight!" Tails argued. "Our mission success depends whether or not we can get Elias Acorn back to Knotholan grounds.

"No." Bernie waved her hands in the air. "No I'm not condoning that. Braidwell… is a dangerous place. You can't go there. You won't like what you see."

"I believe you are Sonic's mother so be a guardian to him and not me!" Tails raised his voice.

Sonic's ears twitched and in a millisecond he was right before Tails face.

"Say that again." Sonic calmly stated.

"The Freedom Fighters leave for Braidwell at midnight." Tails commanded. He whipped around went to the back room of the house. Sonic and Knuckles looked at each other and gave sullen glances.

"Sonic?" Jules called for him.

Sonic turned around and looked at his calm and relaxed robotic father.

"You watch out for that boy… something snapped within him." Jules stated.

Sonic nodded. "I know pops. I know!"

Bernie tugged at Jules arm when he turned around to meet in their private conversation.

"He said their name. We don't have much time." Bernie stated.

"I know." Jules said.

"What do we do?"

"Not much now. They're on the way."

"Oh Sonic."

Meanwhile within Kintobor's dome.

Shadow and Rouge sit and wait impatiently.

Doctor Kintobor had let out a subtle hint aiming at Shadow's past ever since he's zoned out of all things and almost literally submerging himself between work and research. Rouge had pulled out a file and started sliding away at her nails as Shadow simply leaned against the wall. The room was quiet with only minor thirds of machinery and the blips on the doc's keyboard.

"So what's our next move?" asked Rouge.

Shadow paused.

"Surely you have something?" asked Rouge.

"My ties to Chaos Energy have been severed Rouge." Shadow calmly explained. "What more can I do?"

"So I see giving up is still an option."

"Right here is the best place to be, even if we don't know where this place is."

"It's Moebius." Kintobor chimed in. He clicked at the keys a last few times and leaned back in his chair.

"Mo-ebius?" Rouge asked. "It sounds so unappealing."

"Moebius." Shadow thought.

"I believe your friend is finally ready." Kintobor hopped out his chair and lead his guests down the vast halls. There was nothing but technology lining this place and all being used for the betterment of this place called Moebius. Kintobor was a nice Overlander probably the nicest anyone has ever met he was doing so much Rouge and Shadow – no questions asked. They rounded a few corners and took a few elevators and finally ended their journey at the robotic repair room.

"Their foreign parts but he should still run at about one-hundred percent." Kintobor explained. "Run system check."

"System is golden unc!" said a female voice.

"Who was that?" asked Rouge.

"My neice, hope. She helps out around here."

Shadow looked up through the glass and saw a young blond headed teenage girl manning the station behind tempered glass.

Shadow was stunned.

"Maria!" yelled Shadow.

Kintobor and Rouge looked at the desperate Shadow as he stepped forward.

"Is that you Maria."

"Umm, my name is hope." She answered.

Kintobor – probably for the first time in his life – looked confused.

"It's a long story." Rouge summarized.

Shadow looked odd when he was in embarrassment. It didn't fit him too well.

"Are you done?" asked Shadow.

"Just hurry up and get Omega running."

"Hope if you please." Kintobor asked.

"Starting up robot." She said through the intercom.

Omega's eyes shined to life as his systems went through tons of diagnostic in a matter of seconds.

"Engaging battle mode: Kill Dr. Robotnik." Omega cried. Out of his arms and shoulder rolled out huge Gatling guns and rocket launchers.

"Omega!" Shadow yelled.

The half ton robot took a swift step forward only to be stopped by Shadow's inhumane strength.

"This one's an ally." Rouge informed.

"Stay out of this inferior feminine bat." Omega started pushing against Shadow. "I have business with."

"Omega!" Shadow screamed.

Omega paused dead in his tracks.

"Scan him."

Omega zoomed in the fragile frame of a fearful Doctor Kintobor.

"Scans indicate that this is only halfway correct. He is not the one I seek."

Doctor Kintobor stopped his shivering and started to calm down.

"Geez Omega, you really know how to liven things up." Rouge clanged her hand against his shell.

"Don't touch me." Omega stated.

"Doctor now that my team has assembled I think it's time we've had answers." Shadow stated.

"I was thinking the same." Kintobor agreed. "Let's make our way to the peace room."

The four started to take the trek back as Doctor Kintobor started divulging his research.

"Shadow you are an interesting thing you know. There are ancient relics; I'm talking centuries old artifacts that tell of your forthcoming."

Rouge burst out laughing. "Are you serious? This guy?"

"I am actually. There have been prophecies about the Great Peace, the world powers turning, even one were I and my great Birth Egg are to be defeated."

"Don't you mean Great War and Death Egg?" Shadow asked.

"Heavens no. Such titles have not been used at all to describe anything here."

"So tell me about these prophecies then."

"Long ago the ultimate life form was said to be coming to the world. There were seven majestic gems that came together and to create out of chaos. That creation created one of pure and brilliant Radiance and the other was absolute and blinding Shadow. The two were never to be seen together, ever, since each would destroy each other. So they separated, dispersed, and spread their abilities throughout dimensions and worlds. Until Shadow's essence was captured fifty-five years ago.

Shadow paused.

"Fifty-five years ago is when Professor Gerald and Black Doom co-conspired to create me."

"Although the Black Arms race are war-oriented they must have saw what the Essence of Shadow was doing and harnessed it." Omega explained. "No need to forget that they are they are almost as nearly intelligent as the Xorda."

"But what about the biolizard?" asked Rouge. "It had the same abilities you did but was much more… sticky and gross."

"I think I can answer that." Kintobor hopped in. "I believe the word is byproduct. Whenever something has been used to its extent the rest of it gets chopped and used with other artificial products to make a substantial imitation. A better description would be bologna."

"This explains your why your ties to Chaos Energy are so strong. You were made from it!" Rouge exclaimed.

"Chaos Emeralds don't have enough power to make a being though." Shadow reasoned.

"I'm sorry what did you call them?" asked Kintobor.

"Chaos Emeralds." Rouge explained. "They're these little gems that hold power and if you collect all seven then you…"

"Yes yes I know but you are mistaken their name is Anarchy Beryl and I believe it's called the Anarchic Force."

"I think you're wrong skinny man!" Omega pointed a gun in the man's face.

"I've faced many an enemy with that wretched gem and believe me it's Anarchy Beryl."

"Then we are both experienced in the fight for our lives." Shadow stated.

Kintobor nodded. "I'm going to need your assistance; no good deed goes unpaid around here."

"I thought you were the kind of doctor that works pro bono."

"Not when the enemy grows stronger every second the clock ticks."

"Who are the enemy, Kintobor?" asked Rouge.

Doctor Kintobor paused and roamed about the peace room for a second.

"Would you really like to know?" asked the doctor.

Team Shadow nodded.

"If I tell you then there will be no backing out; are you ready?" asked Doctor Kintobor.

Meanwhile back in Feral Forest's village.

Amy sat on the stoop of the house.

Tears finally stopped raining from her eyes as she nestled closer to the heat emanating from Rotor's blubber filled skin. The walrus was the last person she expected to see outside with her – giving her comfort nonetheless.

"Thanks for sitting out here with me… Rotor."

The walrus silently acknowledged and leaned back onto the steps.

The night was cool and the sky was starry with the moon giving off the illumination. Among the village there were many lit torches where families were inside enjoying each other's company and telling the events of the day. Even still though, this village had a goal to be met. An innocent man had been taken at the likes of _Them. _They would rise tomorrow morning hoping to fill their quota and release Elias Acorn from their slave masters.

The air of slavery here was slight.

The villagers may not even have known they were conforming to the will of one group of people, or maybe it was just their government here.

"C'mon Rotor, let's go inside." said Amy. The pink hedgehog gets up when Rotor swiftly gets up and straddles the pistols on his shins.

"We're being watched." Rotor stated.

"I thought we always were." Amy stated.

"Shh!" Rotor sounded.

"I don't have to be quiet if I don't want to!" Amy yelled. Rotor and Amy grabbed their heads at the same time. It was like a huge migraine just hit them. Their vision blurred only for a few seconds when they noticed they were within a darkened village. The sky was pitch black and the torches of the houses were all out. For a moment it seemed like Amy and Rotor were the last ones alive on the planet.

"Who are you?" asked a course voice. Amy and Rotor turned around to where the house was and saw a shaded figure within the blackness. It's corneas were a soft yellow with seemingly glowing eyes.

"What'd you do to the village?" asked Rotor revealing and aiming his pistols.

"If you have the audacity to speak our name then you must be against us." said the figure.

"This is gonna get ugly, Amy." Rotor honestly stated. "Go get help, make yourself known."

Amy nodded and ran off screaming for help along the way.

Sonic's ears twitched within the home. Although in a locked room he still heard the wails of his girlfriend and teammate Amy Rose. Sonic was out the front door first and was slammed with a huge migraine. He tumbled slid across the ground holding his head in the process. He got up and was within the darkness of the night.

"Amy!" yelled Sonic.

"Sonic." Amy rounded a house and met up with the hedgehog. "Rotor's in trouble!"

Sonic blasted over to where Amy had come from and saw just another dreary scene.

"They were just here!" yelled Amy. "Keep looking."

Sonic walked forward and looked around a few corners of houses.

"I don't know Amy you sure you're not just hallucinating again?" asked Sonic.

No answer.

"Amy?" Sonic asked. He turned around to see was by himself within a dome of darkness. "Nice one, Ames, way to pull a practical joke! You got me… you got me good."

"Stand still." said a low and haunting voice.

A spear of light arrowed across the field and right past a dodging Sonic. The blue hedgehog landed on the ground and turned to see where the attack had come from.

"Shadow!?" asked Sonic. The figure faded away almost instantly when the dome collapsed around him. The pain of a migraine returned to Sonic's brain when he heard a familiar voice.

"You move just like the King. Who are you exactly?" she asked.

The pain in the head ceased as Sonic turned and faced Knuckles and Tails in the doorway.

"So are you on drugs now?" asked Knuckles. "I mean that would only fully explain the sight we just saw."

Apparently to Knuckles and Tails view Sonic seemed to be drooling and running in place the whole time.

"Shut up Knuckles!" Sonic yelled. "I think Rote's in trouble."

"Amy, too." Tails added. "I heard her scream."

"Yeah Amy too." Sonic stated. "I'm gonna go check around." Sonic reeled up his feet and blasted off. He involuntarily took the wind with him in his streak. He sped through the village and unluckily came back empty handed. He stepped right up to Tails and Knuckles and handed them the pair of Rotor's pistols.

Tails gripped the gun in his palm. "They took them."

Knuckles crushed the gun in his hand and threw it to the ground. "Rragh! I can't believe this!"

"This doesn't stop the mission. We need to go to Braidwell."

"Doesn't stop the mission?! Our friends just got captured by who knows what and you still want to find some prince!"

"Hey shut up!" Knuckles commanded.

"Knuckles now is not the time!" Tails seethed. Knuckles pushed the six-tailed fox aside and walked from the stoop.

"I'm getting something." The red echidna stated. "Sonic did you see the guys who took Amy and Rotor?"

"Oh yeah, it was Shadow alright." Sonic stated.

"I'm getting the same Chaotic Energy reading I get after I sense a Chaos Control."

"I thought our ties to the energy were severed."

"I told you a million times, my connection to the Chaos Energy is greater than anybody's." Knuckles explained. "And it looks like it paid off. We're heading northeast."

Sonic smiled.

"Braidwell is to the northeast…" Tails started to explain.

Sonic took off.

He instantly blasted out of the forest and was among the rolling hills of the planet. The nighttime light was providing him a path as he boosted up to his limitation of speed – 720mph. He passed straight through a system of rivers and everglades until he met with a canyon range. Sonic blasted up the steep walls of the canyon and was dodging to both sides while maintaining blinding speed. He persisted across the world while keeping track of which way was northeast. He shot up out of the canyon walls and landed himself in the plains. The wind was darting across this area of the world effectively enabling Sonic to pick up his speed to about 800. Then he was in the forest with the super tall trees. These trees were towering well into the clouds of the night sky and were as wide as a quarter mile.

Sonic stopped to take it all in.

Then he went on into the forest taking it a slow pace of three-hundred miles an hour until he started seeing lights. Sonic hid behind the edge of a tree and saw there was something in the middle of this forest. It was a huge mountain that was obscured by these gigantic trees. There were many animals going in and out of this place and most of them keeping guard. Sonic planted his back against the tree and smiled. He was feeling his adrenaline rush finally as he giggled. He jumped from behind the tree and blasted into that hollowed out mountain at top speed. Most of the guards were blown back by the wind and sheer sound of Sonic repeatedly breaking the sound barrier.

Sonic ended up in an immaculate room.

There were huge banners hanging from the ceiling and silvery rings all over the place in piles. Sonic sped further into the room and looked around with a cheeky smile on his face.

"My kind of digs." said Sonic. Sonic sat on the throne of the room and felt a strange power surge over him. It was familiar but distant at the same time. Sonic jumped from the throne and looked it over.

"Chaos Emeralds!" Sonic rejoiced. "But only five; where are the rest?"

Sonic was slammed against the throne by a force of unimaginable speed. Sonic barely reacted to his touch sensors before he was wound up and throne back toward the far wall. Sonic tumbled through the air and hit the ground bounced across until he slid up against the wall. Sonic started to get to his feet when the ground started to rumble and two rock handcuffs ensnared his wrists. Sonic was reeled into the wall and pinned while his oppressor walked forward. Sonic looked the enemy over and his own jaw dropped. The same stupefied look was on the apparent throne-holders face. The blue blur stopped struggling as he started to slowly descend to the floor.

"Who are you?" they asked.

They each paused and looked each other over.

"Nice shorts." they said. "Stop talking when I'm talkin! Shut up!"

The enemy slammed a fist next to Sonic's head and reeled in closer as if to intimidate the blue blur. He had true blue eyes and maniacal smile on his peach muzzle. His ears were pointy but folded back – like how a dog's ears could be. He wore white jacket with a large red stripe outlined in blue down the sleeves. He wore black shorts with a white belt and a green stripe down the middle. His shoes were green with a black stripe and silver and grey soles. His gloves were like Sonic's except black and the kanji for "Ground" over top a green background. As a matter of fact the gloves weren't the only thing that resembled Sonic.

It was like looking into a mirror for the Hero of Knothole.

"What you see is what you get…" Sonic started.

"I'm just a guy that loves conquering. I'm Scourge, Scourge the Hedgehog." he smiled. Scourge was almost as blue as Sonic but with a cast of green over his body. He released his hold on Sonic.

Sonic gasped. "Evil Sonic!"

"Good Scourge!" he gasped. Scourge was smashed with a sudden spin dash attack that sent him flying across the room. Sonic charged up his feet and blasted off only to get smashed with Scourge's pinball recoil. Sonic hit the ground and slid.

"What you see is what you get…" Scourge started while approaching.

"I'm just a guy that loves adventure. I'm Sonic, Sonic the hedgehog." Sonic got up. Scourge ran toward Sonic but lifted his hand in the process to create a small circular stone plate under his feet. Scourge sprang into the air and bounced off another stone spring and kept going all around the room. Sonic was examining this guys speed until Scourge smashed right into Sonic.

Sonic hit the ground when a column lifted him up into another incoming column. Sonic went into a spin dash and blasted out from danger when Scourge undercut from out the air. Sonic landed on a stone spring when Scourge lifted the back of his hand toward Sonic.

"You see this?" asked Scourge asked. "It means you lose!"

Scourge activated the stone and sprang Sonic into the air. Two stone columns converged directly onto Sonic. The sound was sheer thunder.

Scourge smiled and then went into a cackling. "Oh yeah I'm feelin' warp seven! Just took out that chump of an imposter!"

Sonic used a homing attack and smashed Scourge directly in the face. The green-blue hog hit the ground as Sonic charged up another spin dash. Even with Scourge's matching speed the spin dash immediately put Sonic at an acceleration rate of 500mph or more – in other words Scourge had nowhere to go.

Sonic smashed directly into Scourge.

The two hogs tumbled across the air with Scourge still holding onto Sonic. Scourge spun and threw Sonic right into a column that collapsed immediately upon impact. Scourge charged a spin dash of his own and blasted right through the remains of stone rock and hedgehog. Scourge held Sonic up by the neck as stone handcuffs surrounded Sonic's arms, legs, neck, wrists, shins, torso and tail. He wasn't going anywhere.

"You see this jacket?" Scourge demanded.

Sonic barely opened his eyes. "It is a cool jacket."

"I know, it's worn by the coolest King around."

"King?"

"You heard me blue balls! Around here I'm King Scourge, conqueror of Moebius."

Sonic tightened his fists.

"Say what?"

"I'm the King, Sonic. I ended the Great Peace with my coup d'état and killed many Moebian and Overlander people. Since then it's been nothing but King Scourge twenty-four/seven all the time live."

Sonic shook his head in disbelief. "I'm the Robotnik of this dimension?"

"What the hell is a Robotnik?" asked Scourge.

"Let me go and I'll tell ya." Sonic bargained.

"Nice one but I think I'd try the same thing don't you think." Scourge stated. The King dodged a huge unexpected fist and landed right within Tails' range. The young fox reeled up a huge kick when Scourge formed a stone spring underneath his feet and propelled himself backwards.

"Tale, what are you doing?" asked Scourge. "And Claws I told you to stay away from castle."

"Yeah Claws." Sonic agreed. Knuckles tapped his fist on the wall and broke the stone handcuffs apart.

"We're not who you think, Evil Sonic." Tails stated.

"I'm starting to see, you've got five tails too many and this echidna is even uglier that Claws and that's saying a lot."

"Where's our friends?" Knuckles demanded.

Scourge smiled. "Don't know don't care. Milk and Radiance do their own thing; I just say yeah and let them do their own thing."

"I'm starting to hate this Sonic as much as last one." Tails said.

"The names Scourge, freak! Get it right. I'm King of Moebius and acting leader of the Freedom Fighters."

"You're not a freedom fighter." Sonic walked to the front of the debate. "Taking innocent Mobians just 'cause they didn't mine enough for you is not what Freedom Fighters are about."

"Oh I'm a Freedom Fighter true blue," Scourge explained. "I fight against freedom."

"And we fight for freedom." Sonic stated.

Scourge and Sonic paused. They finally realized they gravity of this situation.

"We're not leaving this place until we get our friends, including Elias Acorn." Sonic commanded.

"Then it looks like you won't be leaving for a long time." Scourge stated. He looked at each opposing Freedom Fighter in the eye and smiled each time. The air of cockiness was apparent and bold. This was evil Sonic.

"Freedom Fighters get ready." Sonic commanded.

Meanwhile within Kintobor's peace room.

Kintobor started. "They want to enslave the world and rule nearly a third of the world's population. They use the might of the Anarchy Beryl to instill fear among the citizens in order to keep them in line. I've been using my technology to try and rid them off but it's no use… I dislike that hedgehog!"

"This sounds familiar but somehow inversed." Rouge stated while effectively using sarcasm.

"All I wanted to do was become a veterinarian but no I have to impede the world domination of those wretched Freedom Fighters." Kintobor expressed. "Shadow I'm going to need you and your teams full cooperation on this."

"What is it Doctor?" asked Shadow.

"I understand you have vast pools of "Chaos Energy" that you are able to channel. I don't think there is much of a barrier between the two forces. I have made this Anarchic Force Booster that was once used by my colleague."

"Your colleague had access to the Anarchic Force?" asked Rouge.

"She was just like Shadow and when she used that this machine she was near infinite in the force."

Shadow tightened his fist in anticipation.

"Radiance died not too long ago; killed in the heat of battle by King Scourge himself."

Shadow released his once closed fist.

"Scourge used the Anarchy Beryl to slay Radiance and then copied her essence into a machine that works for him now. The nerve of that hedgehog…"

"This Scourge guy sounds like a cousin of yours Shadow." Omega stated.

Shadow nodded. "How do we use the booster doctor?"

"If I'm not mistaken, you can warp to any location using Anarchy Acquire."

"Chaos Control actually." Rouge corrected.

"Right yes, "Chaos Control"; with that ability you must use your own Anarchy Beryl and the booster to amplify your Chaos Energy and those around you straight to where the other Beryl are. Can you perform this action?"

"I must." Shadow stated.

**Man that was loaded. Hey FanFiction sorry for the huge delay… my computer had caught a virus and was out for a few weeks. My plan was to be up at issue 26 by now but yeah Ish happens. Let me know what you think of issue 24 and review and send me a PM or whatever. Some good news about Sonic 51 is that it's on a 2 ½ month hits/visitor streak. Umm there is a Scourge pic I posted at /Givannivan and many more to come. Please R/R until the next Sonic 51 arrives. Peace and much love to you.**


	25. Fight ForAgainst Freedom

So here they were.

The Hero of Knothole leading his comrades against his mirror self. The golden fox to this hedgehog's right boiling with anger and the red echidna to his left clutching his powerful fists. All three of these dominant figures were facing the most dominant of this dimension. His name was Scourge.

He was the so-called King of the World and was trying to enslave it all under his rule. He looked exactly like Sonic the Hedgehog but with a green tint to his blue sharp fur. He took a step while flaring his wrists intentionally showing the kanji that were on the backs of his gloves. It read "Ground" which was Scourge's means of attacking. Major events like the Great War, changing of world powers, and EIA program seem to have taken place here but here it seems to have a negative effect. If Scourge had powers then who knew what else was in store for these Mobian Freedom Fighters.

Scourge started tapping his foot effectively grabbing his enemy's attention. "I'm waiting."

Sonic darted off with Scourge lifting his chin and making huge rock columns rise from the ground. The blue blur weaved around the rocks just as Scourge started his run. The throne room was quickly becoming a labyrinth with Scourge in complete control. Tails and Knuckles entered into the maze to assist in Scourges defeat. Sonic blasted around a corner and locked up with the King. Scourge made a small stone bar jab Sonic right in the side and then he punched Sonic with insult to injury. Sonic hit the ground as Scourge started wailing on him with powerful kicks. Sonic grabbed his foot and went into reverse spin and threw Scourge into one of his own walls. Scourge landed on the wall and then hopped over leaving Sonic alone in the winding maze. Tails saw Scourge leap over a wall and zoomed down to engage. Scourge wore his cocky smile as if to look back at Sonic. He started to push the wall forward when Tails overshadowed him and punched him. Scourge smashed against the wall when Tails wrapped up his arms.

"I'm only going to say this one time. Let our friends go!" Tails yelled.

Scourge smiled. "Say what!"

The greenish hedgehog ran up the wall and behind the golden fox and pinned him to the wall. The stone barricade started to fall with sand. Tails was being forced into the grains by Scourge.

Tails winded his powerful extensions and slammed Scourge a few times with each of his tails. Scourge released his hold as Tails stylishly twisted out of the sand and effectively tossed sand everywhere. He charged his turbine tails and took flight.

"That's not playing fair fox!" Scourge yelled. He dug in and made all of the walls rise to the ceiling. Tails was trapped in the maze too. Scourge easily passed through one of his walls and felt a rumbling not of his own creation. Scourge jumped high onto one of the stone partitions as Knuckles erupted out of the ground.

"C'mon ugly!" Let's see if you can out-climb me!" Scourge took off sideways on the wall as Knuckles leapt up with hands first. He was just as fast as Tails was when climbing so he kept Scourge in his sights. Knuckles was leaping with each grapple of the wall as Scourge constantly looked back at him.

"I'm gonna tear you apart." Knuckles yelled.

"Come and get me then!" Scourge yelled. Scourge did a complete loop from wall to ceiling when he rounded the corner right to a dead end. Knuckles followed right to the trap when the wall sealed right after the red echidna.

"Don't you hate when the walls start closing in on you." Scourge smiled. He passed into the ground when the ceiling and the floor started for a collision course. They started to press against Knuckles but the guardian held himself from death by his own strength. He held the ceiling up with arms and repelled the floor with legs. He would only last another few minutes then it would be splat. Sonic barreled through the thick wall sides and rushed to save Knuckles all before the collision course. Sonic stood next to a resting Knuckles when Tails zoomed by and started to attack Sonic.

"Whoa easy, kid, it's me!" Sonic pleaded.

"I know." Tails stated.

"Still on the hate trip, huh?" asked Sonic.

"Always." Tails uttered.

"…Where's Scourge?" asked Knuckles.

"Disappeared." Tails answered. Huge cracks appeared in the walls everywhere.

"Sh_t." Knuckles said. "Hold on!" Knuckles revved his arms up and started to dig. The walls collapsed everywhere with Scourge on the outside controlling it all. He was smiling and laughing the whole time not feeling the least threatened by his good clone and his comrades. Scourge horizontally wiped and made the floor smooth yet again.

"That was easy!" Scourge wiped his hands. He reached out to where his throne would be and made the wall rotate. His throne and his piles of rings all emerged from behind the walls. The banners rolled down from the ceiling again as he walked toward his chair.

Scourge stopped.

"Anarchy Beryl." he stated. "They've got my Beryl."

Knuckles blasted from the floor while upper cutting Scourge right in the mouth. The greenish hog hit the floor as Knuckles towered over him.

"You've got something of mine." Scourge playfully said. Knuckles' Anarchy Beryl zipped from out of his Chaos Energy and right into Scourge's palm. Knuckles barely had any energy to contest against Scourge's Chaos Reach.

"Anarchic Acquire." he stated. Scourge teleported away as Sonic and Tails emerged from the hole.

"Where'd he go?" asked Tails.

"He just took the emerald and Chaos Controlled outta here." Knuckles explained.

"He took the emerald!" Tails yelled.

"Can you still track it?" asked Sonic.

"Quiet! I'm getting something." Knuckles snapped.

In a flash of lime colored light he reappeared before their faces; this time with teammates. The foggy smoke cleared as Shadow, Omega and Rouge stood before Sonic and Tails.

There was a brief pause; looks of shock among both sides.

"Kill them!" Shadow yelled.

Omega leapt forward and grappled Knuckles. He rolled over the echidna and flung him high into the air. Knuckles stabilized himself into a glide when Omega opened his chest up and fired a huge laser. Knuckles was wrapped over the light blue light when Rouge slammed into Omega and ceased fire. Tails flew after Rouge when she axe kicked just missing Tails.

"Make it look good, kid." whispered Rouge.

Tails balled his fist and uppercut the bat. She went into a fall and slid across the ground. Tails spun around when Shadow zipped past him and Sonic right on his tail. Shadow paused on a wall side with Sonic directly behind him.

"Where are Amy and Rouge?" Sonic interrogated.

Shadow zoomed off again with Sonic close on the hedgehog's spines.

"Stop Shadow!" Sonic yelled. The black hedgehog spun to a stop and turned up his hands in order to build up a Chaos Spear attack. Shadow felt it. He was close and he felt the lines blur. Sonic smashed directly into him and they tumbled right into a corner. Sonic towered over the black hedgehog with tightened fists. Sonic reached down and grabbed the mane around Shadow's neck and pulled him up closer. Shadow wore an annoyed and maligned expression as they stare each other down.

"I'm not gonna ask again." Sonic stated.

Shadow batted off Sonic's hands and stood straight. "There are bigger matters than just a frail hedgehog and lazy walrus." Shadow pointed behind Sonic as if seeing double. The greenish-blue hedgehog stood right behind Sonic.

"I always thought they broke the mold when they made me." Scourge scoffed. Scourge threw a punch as Sonic dodged and Shadow caught it. Shadow squeezed the king's fist as Scourge tilted his head in joy.

"A challenge?" he questioned. Shadow started to lift his other hand when Scourge thrust and reached right into Shadow's budding Anarchic Force. Shadow seemed paralyzed; he had enough of the force to try and make a defense but it wouldn't be enough.

The whole room was in shock.

Shadow could only watch as Scourge trifled right through his own energy and grasped the last Anarchy Beryl. Scourge smiled while looking directly into Shadow's eyes. Scourge released Shadow and let him fall to the floor. The greenish hog turned around dug into his jacket pocket to only don red sunglasses. He flipped the Anarchy Beryl in one hand while looking over the entire room of enemies.

"You guys ever wonder what happens when the coolest and most ruthless king gets seven beryl?" Scourge asked.

"Stop him!" yelled Tails. Sonic darted over to Scourge who only chaos controlled his way to the throne where the sixth beryl had been inserted not too long ago and were awaiting the sevenths homecoming.

"Your highness." Nicole stated. She appeared right next to Scourge with the same calm and monotone attitude as before.

"Nicole, what is it?" Scourge snapped. "Princess Lassy Acorn is on her way with very important news."

Scourge deflated. "Why didn't you just let her come on in?"

"Super Scourge was about to make his appearance and I did not want my master to be in harm's way."

"I do." Scourge evilly smiled. "it wouldn't hurt her to be dead or maybe even become a vegetable.

"Hey boss!" yelled a brown fox. His dark brown fur went well with his sand colored chest fur and the lighter fur on his single elongated tail. He stood happily before Scourge. "You are not gonna believe what happened!"

Scourge was on the edge of his seat. "What is it big guy?"

"Okay so I'm playing a video game a trying to get a high score and everything when Lassy busts into my room. She's all like 'Tale what the hell are you doing? we got a job to do?' So i get up and i follow her to the room with the detainees and their all like 'oh no look its this loser guy named tails' and then i go nuh-uh its me Tale the one and only and then they said well we have a friend just like you except he's much more mature. So I'm all like whatever and i sicked milk on 'em and they started spillin their guts about everything. It was great." the fox explained.

"I can't believe this… enough!" yelled Tails. He leapt forward and engaged his own doppelganger. The brown fox lashed his tail and immediately wrapped up the golden boy. Tails was unraveled from the long tail and held prisoner at his clones knees.

"Tails!" yelled Sonic. "Get up Knuckles!"

The red echidna was still down from the massive laser blast he took earlier. Sonic started to run toward the throne as Scourge got his attention and shook the Beryl. Our Freedom Fighters were still in check, trying to pull out a last minute Hail Mary.

Sonic paused; something he hated to do. He turned to his left to see a gorgeous and very pregnant squirrel/chipmunk. Even as an evil clone Sally Acorn, or Lassy, never looked better. She twirled her finger on Sonic's chin and tapped his nose until she passed on to the throne.

"You're heinous." Lassy stated.

"You're stupidness." Scourge barked.

"Stupidness isn't a word idiot." Lassy stated.

"If it ain't a word then why am I saying it?" Scourge inched the Beryl closer to the other six.

"We need to discuss things… in private." Lassy stated.

"Whatever you got to say lady, you can say it in front of my future victims." Scourge smiled.

"You tell her, boss." the fox yelled.

"I will Kilos, I will." Scourge gave a thumbs up.

Tails scoffed.

"Listen up you imitation Freedom Fighters," Scourge started. "if you don't do an act of worship toward me I will immediately…"

Shadow tackled Scourge from the throne.

They hit the floor hard knocking the Beryl from the King's grasp.

"Way to go Shadow!" yelled Sonic. Sonic built up a spin dash and blasted off and added a huge hit to Scourge. The king smashed into the wall as Tails blasted up from Kilos' grasp. They turned to face each other and simply paused. The feeling was strange.

Looking at yourself without a mirror was uncanny.

Kilos laughed and whipped his huge tail to slash for Miles when he lifted to the sky. The golden fox started to charge for an electrical attack when he felt nothing in his Chaos Energy. In that split second Kilos sent his tail upwards only to meet with Rouge's powerful kick. Rouge stalemated the kick and lifted her wings to suddenly glide down and smash Kilos the fox with a powerful kick.

Omega ran past Tails and Rouge and armed a cable attachment to his wrist. He aimed for the lone beryl that Shadow and Scourge were fighting for. The cable blasted over and wrapped around the odd hexagonal jewel. He started to reel when Nicole appeared before him.

"Launching viral program." she stated. Omega twitched and immediately ceased all functions.

Knuckles opened his eyes. His head was still spinning from the laser fire he took from his enemy, Omega. His vision was blurred and his infamous strength was almost gone. The link he was building back to the Chaos Energy was now inactive. Among other things he was right in the center of an ensuing battle. Scourge dodged a swipe from Shadow and Sonic and slid right in front of Knuckles.

"Stay back!" Scourge yelled. He lifted up the guardian and put him in a choke hold. "One more step closer and I teleport your version of Claws here to the center of Moebius, or maybe a volcano, hell anywhere where this mole can die!"

Shadow inched closer.

"Hold it, Shadow!" Sonic yelled. Shadow took a step closer.

Scourge smiled. "Anarchy Acquire!"

Sonic blasted off to try and get Knuckles before the teleportation took place. Sonic felt between Knuckles dreads just milliseconds before disappearing.

"Shadow!" Sonic gnashed.

"King Scourge! I heard there was trouble!" yelled a newcomer. She was laced with glowing white fur and yellow stripes on her spines. Her eyes were red and a tanned peach muzzle. There were many scarves around her neck just covering her small breasts. Her stomach revealed and baggy black jeans and stylish sneakers. She was a hedgehog that immediately caught the attention of Shadow the Hedgehog. He thought she was the most beautiful thing to walk the face of the planet; too bad she was just a copy.

"Radiance." yelled Kilos. He was just getting up from the blow he suffered. "Over here."

Radiance overlooked the whole field of play and spotted Shadow. Her instinct was telling her that she should engage him with full-on power.

She took a huge stride over.

Not even thinking it over but charging straight ahead to the black hedgehog.

King scourge appeared with Knuckles unconscious before his throne. The jacketed king raised the Anarchy Beryl high into the air. When did he get that?

He cackled for almost an eternity, effectively gaining the attention of all the minions in his quarters. "I'm feelin' warp seven!"

He slammed the Anarchy Beryl to the seat of the throne when he a huge surge of Anarchic Force emitted through the whole room. Lassy Acorn, Kilos Prower, Nicole and Radiance stopped what they were doing and headed for the doors. The Mobian Freedom Fighters weren't moving though, especially Sonic.

"Is… is this what I look like when I go Super?" he thought.

Scourge was rising to the sky taking in huge amounts of power from the Anarchic Force. The power was altering his skin color making it purple with a lavender aura. His corneas were fading to black with red eyes and white pupils. His jacket was flaring from the wind he seemed to be creating. Scourge finally focused on his target after the surge of power he consumed. He was now a god amongst mortals.

"Super Scourge! Kick their ass!" Kilos yelled.

Super Scourge smiled evilly as he soared down right over Knuckles. He faced the other four – Omega and Knuckles incapacitated at the moment.

"This isn't good." Sonic bluntly stated. Scourge appeared before Sonic and cracking his knuckles very slowly. Sonic darted left, Scourge was there. Sonic darted right, again Scourge.

"There's no way out, hedgehog!"

Scourge was in twenty places at once – at least that's what it felt like. Sonic and the others were getting pummeled every second with the King's overwhelming power. This is what it felt like being on the opposite side power.

It made you feel inferior. It made you feel useless. It made you simply obsolete.

Team Dark and the fighters for freedom hit the ground hard. They were near deaths gates each moment Scourge was in his Super form. The only chance of defeating him was to get to the throne, take from the positive energy in the beryl, and fight on even terms. Sonic reached for the throne. He couldn't feel his legs.

"Scourge!" a shrill and annoying voice called. It was Lassy Acorn. "Keep them alive Scourge."

"No." Scourge smiled.

"We need to understand why they are here!" Lassy yelled.

"Does it look like I care!" Scourge yelled. Even with all of this power he was still coherent and able to control all of his bodily actions. Even still he could possibly be nudged Lassy's interruptions.

"Tale help me out here!" Lassy mumbled.

Kilos stuttered. "C'mon Scourge, aren't chili dogs much better the next day if you save it?"

Scourge paused. He smiled and turned to his fellow fighters against freedom. He powered down and returned the Anarchic Force back to the beryl in his throne. The beryl started to glow all their brilliant colors when only one shot off through the roof most likely to scatter somewhere in the world.

"So you evil little princess, what have you got in mind?" asked Scourge.

Sonic awoke.

It was dark and apparently not much room. He could feel others pressed against him. He remembered! Scourge was just above him wielding the emeralds power just before he passed out. What happened? How many days have passed since then? Where was he? Where were the others? He felt another shift next to him. It was starting to make sense now.

He and his friends were captured; he and the other freedom fighters.

Sonic got up from the pile of sleeping bodies and brushed himself off.

"Sonic!" yelled a high-pitched voice.

"Amy?" Sonic asked. She slammed him with a huge hug and starting pecking his cheeks with multiple kisses. Then she sprang off as if switching personalities.

"I'm glad to see you and the others are okay… but… I'm still mad at you." Amy stated.

"Where's Rotor?" asked Sonic.

"Right here Sonic." he calmly stated. "What's been going on?"

"I think we're in trouble Rote." Sonic stated.

Hours have passed since Super Scourges appearance in the throne room. Now these Freedom Fighters had enough information to exact a plan against their doppelgangers.

"They think they can just come over here on our home turf and expect to get away with it!" Scourge slammed his hand on the table. He was surrounded by long-time enemies turned untrustworthy friends who all have had a reputation for trying to assassinate him – save for Kilos and Nicole.

In a robust uniform acting as royal guard for the court there was Siegfried D'Coolette, better known to the group as Patch. He was ruthless and conniving and only here to eventually make his way to king once Scourge is dealt with. He was an excellent swordsman although he was hard to understand with his heavy accent.

"Mademoiselle Lassee what koind of pla'ns are een zee makeeng?" he stated.

"I haven't worked out all of the kinks yet but I assure you it's going to make Moebius look like child's play once were through."

"Oh my stars! I simply cannot wait ya'll!" Buns stated in sheer excitement. "This is gonna be more fun than tippin' sleepin' cows, huh?" She was the equivalent to Bunnie D'Coolette back home; except she wasn't married to Patch, nor a best friend with Lassy and was practically useless without her body being roboticized. These facts in turn made her a laughing stock of the fighters against freedom.

"That's if you last that long," Scourge smiled. "Don't forget you got herpes or something."

"Yeah!" Kilos added.

"The disease she contracted is called Neuro-Immuno Deficiency Syndrome and we are working on a cure." Nicole interjected.

"That's 'cause she slept with so many of the guards." Lassy giggled. Buns ran out of the room.

"How are we going to get there?" asked Boomer. He kept a serious tone just like his counterpart Rotor Waldron. Stat "Boomer" Waldron was a purple walrus dressed in a long white coat and black shorts. He wore glasses and always had a belt lined with many throwing knives and a sword on his back. Although Rotor had decided to trim himself up for battle boomer went the other way and let himself go. Occasionally Scourge would zing him with a fat joke or two that pissed Boomer all the off.

"Don't worry Stat." Lassy stated. "With the legwork that Radiance and Milk pulled we'll be in chin deep before they knew what hit 'em."

"And as long as C'raws or Rosee are not eenterfeereeng we 'ave notheeng to be loseeng." Patch stated.

"What are you saying? Talk normal!" Scourge stated. "Geez…"

**Okay that took forever to write but it was worth it. Hope everyone liked this chapter in the story – I felt like I needed to make up for all the talking in 22-24 so here's action packed number 25! I'd also like to say I am going to be making art of/for Kilos "Tale" Prower, Lassy Acorn, Boomer, Patch, Radiance, maybe Kintobor and maybe Buns and oh definitely Milk. It's just gonna be a while before they are put up on /Givannivan but most likely I'll announce it in a post of Sonic 51. If you have any questions(like the why I chose Lassy instead of Alicia) comments or simply want to review you know where to do that. until next time avid Sonic fans this is Givannivan and I am outta here…………. **


	26. New arRIVALS

It was a still night among the Mobian skies.

Knothole in particular was quietly stirring within Nicole's defenses and going about their nightlife. Some were at home with family while others were still working at their places of business. Even within the walls of the Hall of Acorns there were things riling up.

"Ugh we've been here for hours!" Melvin the deer sighed. "I want to go home."

"Please bear with Madam, a decision still has not been met." Nicole quieted.

The council of Knothole had been set here for a few hours trying to decide on whether it would be a good idea to share things with Station Square and Angel Island.

"We already have many treaties and agreements with those of Angel Island! What would be the big deal if we let Station Square in on it too?" Princess Sally hobbled up to stand. She was huge! Noticeably pregnant from a few miles back she went through her daily hardships just to stand here tonight. She sat back down in her seat as George took the floor. He slicked back his oily cardinal feathers and cleared his throat.

"The first of many reasons, princess, is that Station Square will most likely bully the other smaller nations into fear. Worst case scenario would be them threatening us with a nuclear strike. "

Hamlin Chopper was nodding his head the entire time. "I agree without a doubt."

"This is your entire fault." Nicole finally showed some aggression. She had reason though with him being the sole reason for her first and only deactivation.

Hamlin simply smiled. He had managed to turn all but two members against Princess Sally and Sir Charles despite Melvin being on the fence the entire time.

"I just don't want to overload our citizens, being dragged up by Station Square while at the same time being pulled down by Angel Island." Duke explained. "They've been through so much with the changing of titles and their home being partially destroyed…"

"Duke, you are a chairman for the hospital committee, why can't you see the good in this." Sally questioned.

Duke started to speak up.

"Excuse me if I may." Hamlin chimed in with Duke letting him have the floor. "We are simple. We always have been we always will be. If you change that then you will get every single persons hands dirty. Would you like that on your conscience?"

The room went silent.

"What are you talking about?" Melvin questioned. "What you just said confused the heck outta me."

The council solidly agreed. "Let's take a vote then."

The other six followed Sir Charles suggestion and started to write on paper before them. All of the utensils stopped and then there was weary silence. They were all looking at each other when Melvin raised hers first.

"For." she stated. "Only because he annoys me."

Princess Sally and Sir Charles smiled. There was going to be a world conglomerate after all.

"This is good news." Sally smiled. "Now we are dismissed."

"Melvin shouted in praise as she and the others gathered up briefcases and other belongings. They all exited the large book-lined library continued down the hall. Hamlin was the last to leave giving final thoughts to Sally Nicole and Sir Charles.

"Make note of this day!" Hamlin spat. "You will regret everything that has happened today!"

Nicole interfaced with the room and accessed the doors. The huge door swung and shoved Hamlin out of the room.

"Nicole." Sally sighed.

"A mere malfunction." she stated. "I will tend to it at once."

She disappeared in checkers as Sir Charles gets up from the table.

"Any word from the Freedom Fighters?" asked Charles.

"None so far." Sally opened the door. "I hope their okay."

Charles hugged Sally and left the room. "There's nothing to fear, kiddo. You know their safe and I bet your brother, Elias is hanging strong with them."

Sally smiled. "Thanks Sir Charles and get some rest. We've a huge day ahead of tomorrow."

"Oh I know. Goodnight princess." Sir Charles started to proceed down the hallway. Princess Sally gripped the wall as she walked a few paces down to her quarters. She couldn't believe how big she has gotten. She knew without a doubt she was bearing a load and how important it would be to still show a bit of grace even if she was a few days from delivery. She made it her room entryway and proceeded in and shut the door behind her.

It was late into the night now.

Knothole practically died at around two or three in the morning with only a few patrolman scanning the streets. Nicole appeared at the city's northern gates. She was facing the closed doors ready to identify whoever was approaching.

"Anomaly detected." she mumbled. "Readying city defenses numbers 48-72."

The door budged but wasn't opening. Someone was here. Nicole heard a few familiar voices scuffling beyond the doors when a figure leaped over and landed with a bit of finesse.

"False alarm." Nicole thought. She disappeared and reentered right in front of the haphazard intruder.

"Welcome back Sonic the…" Nicole stopped. "Intruder alert."

Scourge balled his fist and swiped right through Nicole.

"Security systems armed." Nicole stated. "Lights!"

Knothole lit up with huge beaming lights. They all pointed on Scourge and nearly blinded him.

"Musta forgot the welcome mat!" Scourge smiled. He triple spun right through the multiple locks and blasted off through city. Nicole was neither shook nor surprised. They had run security drills if either Freedom Fighter went rogue; this one was for Sonic. The trails of Knothole became disheveled and uneven. It looked as if Knothole was placed upon many different sized cubes. By this time other intruders poured into Knothole.

"I must alert the Freedom Fighters." Nicole stated.

Scourge ran off another platform and into a hole. He couldn't get up to speed like he wanted. He ran up the walls and posted hands on his hips. Tale flew in and landed right next to Scourge.

"This place is awesome!" he exclaimed.

"Where's the other losers?" asked Scourge.

"Their Nicole is making things hard on us." Tale explained.

"You and the other Freedom Fighters take out Nicole while me and Lassy get the king!"

"You the man!" Tale smiled. He blasted off in a split second and doubled back with Lassy in his arms. He safely landed her on the ground next to Scourge and they both sighed.

"Why did you choose to work with me?" Lassy asked as she started to run toward the castle.

"I wanted to be around somebody uglier than me so it could make me look good." Scourge smiled.

"I hate you." Lassy stated.

"I hate you more!" Scourge smiled. Scourge picked up the pregnant princess and leapt up and across the many uneven platforms to get right in front of the Hall of Acorns.

Meanwhile on the other side of Knothole…

The fighters against freedom come upon Nicole's technological housing base. Buns Rabbit runs up to and smashes against the barrier. The multicolored barrier shimmered as an effect, while her teammates just about die laughing.

"Step back, Buns, let a man take care of this." Boomer sighed. He started to work the barrier with whatever mechanics he used to get in the first time.

"This is gonna take a while." Boomer said in anger.

"Maybe if you lost a few pounds." Tale suggested.

A huge metallic fist zinged by the group and smashed Boomer right in the face. The big guy was sent far as Antoine landed in the middle of the fighters against freedom and tornado slashed them all.

"There will no breaking and entering this night!" he said. Tale and Patch rose from the ground and started to ambush the hero coyote when they stopped and couldn't move a muscle.

"Now here's round numbah two!" Bunnie Rabbot yelled. Her fist shot out again and smashed both of them in the face. Bunnie sli in right next to her husband and held up her hands ready to fight.

"How dare ya'll interrupt a woman's beauty rest? Ya'll should be ashamed ah ya'll-selves." she smiled.

"Is this is it?" Cream stated while walking up to join her comrades. "I'm already getting sleepy."

"Oh no it's Milk!" Buns yelled. "We need to run."

Patch threw Buns aside and charged right for his counterpart with sword drawn. He was coming in fast but Antoine saw it. Ant lovingly nudged Bunnie behind him and stood to block Patch's assault. He wildly fenced against Antoine with the hero keeping pace.

Boomer sloppily ran toward Cream was turning up her face from all the jiggling going on with the false Rotor. Cream held up both her hands and effectively caught Boomer within her Control. She slammed him down on the ground and drug him to sweep up Patch and plant them against the barrier.

Tale came from nowhere and slammed his powerful tail against Cream's head. He spun to land when Bunnie fired a missile. Tale gasped and then extended his tail and wrapped himself up in it. The missile exploded against it and burned his tail to a crisp. The smoke cleared and all that was left was the shedding of his tail.

"How did he?" Bunnie started. She put up her metal arm to black. She barely saw him come down from the sky but blocked Tale's assault. Tale had landed with a stomp and then back flipped to knock Bunnie from her feet. Tale finally touched the ground when Cream controlled one of his legs and flailed the fox around and around. Cream was whipping her arms to and fro trying to confuse the fox when he smashed into Boomer and then into Patch. The three threats were on the ground groggy from Cream's attacks. Bunnie got up and wrapped some cable around them to officially detain them.

"There's one more behind that li'l ol' bush over there." Bunnie poined.

"I give, I give." Buns stood up with hands high in the air. "Please don't smash me with Kilos."

"Can I go back to bed now?" asked Cream.

Meanwhile within Castle Acorn…

Nicole was everywhere.

Actually there Nicole's all over the place trying to put a halt to the pair of Scourge and Lassy.

"You are trespassing on forbidden grounds! Leave the premises at once!" Nicole kept repeating. Scourge was carrying Lassy through the plush halls of the estate trying to find their goal. The stopped at a fork when the Nicole's appeared and surrounded the two, all repeating the same phrase.

"Shut up!" Scourge yelled. He started swiping at them frantically with no result.

"This way." Lassy yelled. She hopped back into Scourge's arms and they blasted off. They made a few wrong turns and down a lot of dead ends until they say the large door denoting the head of the family stayed here.

"We got you your highness!" Scourge smiled and busted in the room. He looked left and right and only saw Nicole within the room and then a metal pole slamming against the backside of his head. Scourge hit the floor unconscious in the process.

"Gotcha!" Sally exclaimed. She went to observe her work when she saw her mirror self hobble through the door.

"You again." Sally scoffed.

"Well if it isn't the Anti-me!" Lassy smiled. "How've you been?"

"Fine." Sally replied. "To say the absolute least."

"Don't play this game with me." Lassy started. "We're the same you and I. And we both know we like to win."

"Princess Sally, you know this doppelganger?" asked Nicole.

"She's an old annoyance from way back when." Sally explained. "She was a bitch then and she's a bitch now."

"A compliment, finally." Lassy smiled.

"Then she will be taken care of." Nicole stepped in front of Sally.

"No no, it's alright, we both know I can handle myself." Sally sidestepped Nicole's protection. "Okay Lassy you didn't just stop in to say hello. What do you want?"

Lassy smiled. "I've grown bored of simple Moebius. We've conquered it to no end and are just twiddling our thumbs looking for things to take freedom from. That's when your little idiots came in and surprised us all. All I needed was foot in the door and I'd own the whole place."

"Mobius isn't for sale." Sally remarked.

"Then we steal it." Lassy stated.

"Freedom Fighters report: They have captured and detained intruders and have one in interrogation as we speak." Nicole explained.

"Damn that Buns." Lassy yelled. She threw a small fit and nearly ripped out her hair. "I'm not leaving this place! Scourge wake up!"

She kicked the greenish hedgehog in the side until he started to stir. He took one final kick and then hopped to his feet. He raised his arm up as if to strike Lassy when his arm froze.

"Woman, are you crazy!" Scourge yelled at the top of his lungs. He was trying to free his arm from the invisible grace when he saw the young bunny outside.

"Hey Sal, who are these people?" Cream asked.

"Our new prisoners." Sally stated. Cream caught Scourge in a full body control as well as Lassy.

"Good work Nicole." Sally sighed. Sally's eyes grew shocked and at the same time Lassy broke free from control. The princesses grabbed their stomachs in joy and surprise. It was time for their little bundles of joy to come out. Lassy hit the ground breathing heavily with Sally facing her.

"You can't hold me forever." Scourge stated. He started to shake loosening up Cream's control over him. "If I can break from Milk's mind control then I can break from yours!" Scourge vibrated himself and regained control of his body. Cream hit the floor as recoil while Scourge landed on his feet. He looked at Lassy writhing in labor pains and then to Nicole just in front of him.

He didn't even give it a second thought.

"See ya!" Scourge yelled. He blasted from the room leaving behind only wind and dust.

"That bastard!" Lassy gritted her teeth.

"We need to get them to the emergency room." Nicole commanded.

**Sorry for the huge delay but writers block happens to everyone. I plan on closing out this arc by the end of may so stay glued to your computer screens and/or iphones and be on the lookout for the next upcoming issue. Also I plan on making the art before this arc closes which you can still find on /Givannivan so check it out. All in all thanks for being patient with me and sticking through it cause your gonna love how this baby ends. See ya next time on Sonic 51.**


	27. Where Things Had Shifted

Everyone was seemingly okay.

They had just undergone and lived through chaotic torture and were now licking their wounds. The Freedom Fighters and Team Dark were all assembled and free to roam around this single prison hold.

It was quiet inside.

No one wanted to say anything or even think too hard. Most were recovering from that last fight while others were mentally healing. The one in the worst shape was Knuckles. Scourge had teleported off with the echidna and Chaos knows what happened to him. He was coherent but hadn't said anything in a while.

Sonic was fidgeting in the corner next to Knuckles and Rotor. He needed to run. It was his rush and he couldn't go a day without it let alone an hour.

"I need speed!" Sonic rushed the door for the millionth time, trying to pry it open. The whole cell was made from thick layers of steel. No one had the power to put a dent into it except the red echidna. "Knuckles hurry up and get better."

Knuckles looked at Sonic and drooled a little bit. Sonic paused for a bit and felt it all over him. Those judging eyes again. Sonic turned around and saw everyone staring him down and they all had their reasons.

Amy was pissed at him.

Rouge turned sides.

Omega is with Shadow and thus an enemy.

Shadow wants vengeance soon.

And Tails… he wouldn't stop glaring down the hog.

The only ally he had was the purple walrus and his long time rival. Sonic stood up straight and scratched his head.

"Anybody got any ideas?" he asked.

"Kill yourself!" Tails shot from way across the hold. That statement made Sonic die on the inside.

"Any non-life ending ideas?" Sonic tossed out.

"Just sit down and be quiet Sonic." Amy sighed. "No one feels like talking right now."

"Unless it's about getting out of this god-forsaken hellhole." Rouge agreed.

"So you can betray us again?" Rotor asked from behind a still standing Sonic.

Rouge furrowed her brow.

Shadow's ears twitched and he stood up. "This is it, Rouge."

"Shadow…" Sonic started. "This is pretty rare ya know…"

"Quiet." he snapped. Sonic smiled. Shadow took a step forward until he was in the middle of the cell. "Omega."

The walking arsenal stood up and next to Shadow. "What is it, Shadow?" asked Omega. The black hedgehog turned around placed a hand on the robot.

"You can't!" Rouge erupted from her seat on the ground. Shadow stared down Rouge as she swiftly approached.

"Chaos Control!" Shadow yelled. Rouge dove and just missed their vanishing act. Shadow and Omega had escaped. Rouge pounded the ground in a small fit of anger and gritted her teeth.

"I let him go!" Rouge halfway smiled.

Tails sighed. "How much did you get?"

"Plenty." Rouge smirked. "And it's all up here."

"What just happened?" asked Sonic. Knuckles got onto hands and knees and crawled over next to Rouge and shoved her out of the way. He simply sat there and crossed his legs as if he were meditating.

"Way to treat a lady, red!" Rouge folded her arms.

"I thought Rouge was a bad guy." Amy inquired.

"Please realize that not only am I a talented thief but a beautiful liar." Rouge started. "Princess Sally, Nicole, and I came up with this mission in order to examine just how Shadow works."

"Well I guess that's good news or whatever but we're still kind of stuck here." Sonic tapped his foot.

"Why are you in so much of a rush?" Amy spat out.

"Hello do you not know me!" Sonic exclaimed. "Faster than lightning quieter than a--"

"Okay okay just shut up will ya." Amy interrupted. "You're giving me a headache."

"Eh, that's not all you've given me." Sonic mumbled.

"I'm sorry what did you say? Could you repeat that again?" asked Amy with an annoyed yet pleasant expression.

"Okay I'll explain!"

"Could you not do this here?" Rotor chimed in.

"No! No! She needs to know!" Sonic barked. "For years you've been following me around, chasing me trying to be a love interest of mine. I finally realized who you were when we came back to Never Lake."

Amy stood up and balled her fists.

"I saved you from Robotnik because it was the right thing to do but you took it to another level and decided to stalk me!"

"I did that out of love!" Amy yelled. "But look how blinded I was."

"You never should have happened! Never lake should have never happened! And we should have never happened!" Sonic exclaimed.

Amy was filled with tears.

"You see what he does Amy?" Tails started from the corner. Amy looked his way and saw him stand up.

"You're all used up now…" Tails remarked. "Now you know how I feel."

Amy shook her head in agreement while wiping tears from her eyes.

Sonic sat down and folded his arms. His leg was shaking due to irritation and unbottled anger. Rotor looked on and saw the team crumbling to pieces. This was not good at all.

"Shut up Tails." Sonic broke the awkward silence again.

"Come and shut me up." Tails demanded. Sonic darted from his seat and smashed right against the golden fox. Tails was smiling as his six tails effectively stopped Sonic in his tracks. Sonic was continually running against the fox while Tails simply folded his arms. Everyone else in the room finally noticed Sonic had gotten up when Tails unfolded his arms and reeled back his right hand. It was blindingly fast but Tails struck the hedgehog right in the jaw and sent the hog sliding back.

Sonic couldn't handle this.

Everything around him was breaking to shards. Sonic fell to his knees holding his head – that was more than just a punch; there was electricity behind it. The Freedom Fighters were steadily getting their powers the more they stayed in Moebius.

"I told you Sonic and I will tell you again. The next opportunity I get…"

"Something's coming!" Knuckles sprang to life. "This side of the room, now!" Everyone huddled against the south wall of the prison cell. Nothing was happening.

"Welcome back, Big Red." Rouge greeted.

"Here it comes, brace for it!" Knuckles commanded. The walls seemingly imploded ripping up the steel layers as if it were paper. The entire north wall was demolished all the way through to the other side. The west wall held what used to be the door and past it was a hall and another cell opposite the one occupied. Knuckles jumped from the wall and surveyed the damage.

"Get ready." Knuckles whispered. He stepped into the hall and saw the one-man wrecking ball that tore this sector to shreds. It was a red echidna with huge sharp claws with most of his dreads roboticized. He wore a half-jacket with a belt and baggy shorts with large boots. The same crescent design on his chest was emblazoned in white. He turned around to look and he was in awe to see another echidna.

"My Brutha!" he said.

"You survived?" he hugged Knuckles and nearly pierced him with his huge claws.

"We need to get out of here." Knuckles explained.

"Okay but I'm not leaving without me partner." the new echidna stated. He stepped through the opposite cell and found the only occupant inside.

"Elias, c'mon, I'm breakin' you out of here."

"Claws!?" Elias Acorn questioned. "How did you?"

"It doesn't matter, let's go!" Claws directed Elias from the room and saw the others emerging from their cell.

"Elias." Tails called while stepping through the crowd.

"And you are?" he asked. The squirrel bushed his tail and folded his arms. His jacket was a little tattered but was commonplace for a village hand. He wore nondescript trousers with dirt embedded within and a ragged white tee shirt. It was the gear he wore while being taken from the mines. A selfless leader turned visible example by the fighters against freedom. He folded his arms and stared the lot of them down.

"We're friends of Princess Sally." Tails explained. "We've come to take you back home."

Elias was shocked.

"We have to go before…" Claws started. At the end of the hall were two figures that Amy and Rotor immediately recognized.

"How the hell did you escape?" asked Radiance. She was furious wearing emotion dead on her sleeve with anarchic force emitting from her palms. For the Freedom Fighters it was like looking at a female Shadow.

Milk innocently laughed. "I wanna strangle at least one!"

She was this universes' Cream still with original peach coloring around eyes and ears. She wore a cute dress that looked like a bell at the ends with Mary Jane's on her feet and a cute hat on her head. It was all light blue with normal blue accents all over. She lifted her finger and pointed right at the group.

"No!" Claws yelled.

Knuckles twitched and tightened his fists. He turned toward Rotor and swung haphazardly. The Rotor was alert and dodged the strong echidna.

"Ha ha ha he's mine now!" Milk exclaimed. She started singing along as Knuckles swiped at each of his comrades. She looked like a conductor of an orchestra as Radiance idly watched next to her.

Knuckles spun and slammed a fist into the newcomer Claws and bounced him to the wall just behind him. Sonic had just dodged the spin when he looked into Knuckles' eyes. They were pale and almost lifeless. Just like Cream, this rabbit also had the power of Control. Claws tensed up and approached the echidna.

"Stop it man!" Claws knocked Knuckles on the head with an elbow and stopped his action. Sonic smiled and then blasted off down the hallway toward the two enemies. Radiance stepped forward as Sonic literally slammed into the white hedgehog. She was unmoving, resilient and impervious. She pushed against Sonic almost slowly and made him fly back into the debris. Tails snickered and then darted toward the lady hog. Tails swiped at her with his tails as she ducked them and took a step back. Tails leapt up to a flying double kick as she back flipped. Tails spun his appendages and kicked up the speed and whipped his leg around to send her nowhere.

Radiance stomped forward and pushed Tails square in the chest. It was like he was trapped in slow motion. He was gliding through the air not of his own will but clearly in pain.

"Tails!" Amy called trying to grab him from the air. Amy contacted Tails and was sent careening and through a wall of the hallway. Now Tails was temporarily impervious.

"Return to your cells and I will spare you the agony and suffering through two broken limbs." she darkly stated. She even sounded like Shadow.

"Hurry up!" Milk yelled. "I wanna play!"

"Quiet, useless child!" Radiance stepped in front of the rabbit.

Sonic slammed against Radiance from out of nowhere and made her budge back a good ten feet.

"Persistent little--" Radiance started. Sonic spun off of her in an instant as Milk pointed at his head. Radiance did even see it happen but lucky her partner did. Sonic stood lifelessly next to the evil pair.

"Hey Radiance look!" Milk called. "I've got a King Scourge look-alike."

Milk placed her hands on Sonic's head was deep within the cortex of Sonic's brain.

"He'll be my slave forever and ever and ever!" Milk exclaimed.

"Lightning's Tail!" the golden fox called.

A small stream of lightning shot across the hall and tickled against Milk's body. The bunny released for just a second when Amy Rose slammed into her shoulder first. Although not as fast as Sonic she was still pretty high in the speed rankings. Milk knocked against the threshold of the door and was out cold. Sonic was within Amy's arms as they surrounded Radiance.

"Anarchic Acquire." Radiance reluctantly called. She teleported from the hall leaving the Freedom Fighters alone for now.

There was bit of accomplishment that needed to be celebrated but now wasn't the time. Sonic woke up and stood up on his own two feet again. Mind control wasn't a road he liked to travel too often.

"That was amazing." Elias exclaimed. "I've never seen anyone stand up to the Freedom Fighters like that and not confused as to who's an enemy or not."

"I've been watching them ever since they entered Feral Forest. Although a bit disorganized and unorthodox to say the least…" Claws stated. "They are to be trusted."

"I can't believe it…" Rouge smiled. "This universe has a smart Knuckles. And handsome to boot."

Claws looks Rouge from head to toe.

"I like a more conservative woman, one who doesn't have to wear make-up or sexy get-ups like this."

Rouge took that pretty hard as Knuckles smiled and laughed.

"We need a way out." Tails stated. "There's too many of us to simply walk out."

Claws cleared everyone around and jumped into the air. He took swipe after swipe and burrowed through the ground creating a tunnel in mere seconds.

"I'm starting to like this Claws guy a little better too, Rouge." Sonic smirked.

"In a second you two are about to start liking my fist." Knuckles jumped. "Now outta my way!" He jumped into the tunnel and started assisting Claws in creating a tunnel. The Freedom Fighters and the guests successfully burrowed from out the recesses of the huge forest interior of Braidwell. It didn't take long to get out of its boundaries and into the huge forestation again. The wide trees blocked the horizon but Claws had a great sense of navigation and knew exactly where he was. They followed his sixth sense of direction and effectively made their way into the daylight of the plains.

"I need some explanation from you now." Elias sounded serious. "Does Sally really need me?"

"It's for the sake of our kingdom." Tails explained. "Knothole has been ransacked by terrible leader after another. Princess Sally feels she is no longer fit to lead and the only other option was you, the prince."

Elias folded his arms.

"No thanks." Elias refused.

"Say what?" Sonic questioned. "Did you not see the action that we went through to get you out? The least you could do is run our city."

"Although I am impressed with your spunk, that doesn't mean I'd willingly pass through the wormhole to rule again. I've given up that dream."

Tails was officially pissed off now and started to stomp toward the squirrel.

"What dream was that?" Amy stepped in front of Tails.

"It was nothing." Elias stated. He didn't want to explain but their eyes wanted to know. Each and every face had judgement behind it and he started to feel that bit of anxiousness again.

"The dream… was to rule Knothole, giving everyone, everything they desired, a utopia for everyone. At the time I was only a boy and watched my father and mother struggle with the pressures of one side pitted against the other. Not only were there civil disputes but a war was breaking out and it ripped my family to shreds. I was only fifteen when King Maximillian Acorn and Queen Alicia Acorn were captured by Robotnik's forces. The Zone of Silence awaited them as did the coronation of a new king."

"That's some mondo commotion." Sonic commented.

"Uh… yes?" Elias answered. "In the midst of it all I couldn't bear the pressure of running Knothole, so I ran and ran with the ones who had caused this whole ordeal."

"My mom and pop." Sonic filled it in.

"Yes and it's… Bernie and Jules are your mother and father?" asked Elias.

"Can't you see the hedgehog perfection?" Sonic smiled.

"Unbelievable," Elias smiled.

"We were able to do Eli," Sonic laid a hand on his shoulder, "And Sally's got everything lined up and ready for you. All you gotta do is give it some juice."

"I'm still not sure." Elias started.

"Don't you want to see your niece or nephew?" Sonic pried.

"Sally is… she's got kids! She said she'd never--"

Elias was definitely filled with mixed emotions about returning but Sonic was changing his mind. The blue hedgehog was giving the Prince a few shots more of confidence.

"You already are the head of a small forest." Tails chimed in. "Directing, guiding, and governing are in your blood. You just needed a smaller stage."

"And now that you have mastered the little things, don't you think it's time to take it up a notch and shift to the next gear." Sonic winked.

Elias smiled. He looked at Claws who was totally agreeing with the new allies. "You should do it. If you don't I will."

"Then I take my place on the throne. I'm returning to Knothole." Elias tightened his fist.

"Good 'cause we were gonna force you if you didn't say yes." Rotor explained.

"Oh, well that's a nice thought…" Elias trailed off.

"Do you think we can still get home?" asked Rouge.

"Nuh-uh. I built those Star posts for one round trip." Rotor folded his arms.

"Yeah and that Milk girl read our minds and told Scourge where to go." Amy explained. "I bet they're in Knothole right now."

"Are you serious?" Sonic exclaimed. "We gotta go!" Sonic darted off into the horizon leaving behind dust and dirt in his wake.

"Three, two, one." Rouge counted down.

Sonic zipped back and stopped abruptly. "Hey Rote where we goin'?"

The walrus shrugged.

"There is another way to gain access to a wormhole." Claws started. "We could…"

"Use the Master Emerald!" Knuckles cut off his counterpart.

"Or in this world it's called the Superior Beryl." Claws shoved Knuckles aside a bit. "There is limitless power within the Superior Beryl that controls the Anarchy Beryl. The Anarchy Beryl are the cause of the wormhole activity thus we can use the little jewels to get us to your side of town."

"I like the sound of that." Sonic smiled. "Why didn't you think of that Knux?"

Knuckles knocked both of his fists together as he grimly stared at Sonic. The hedgehog knew he had pressed the right buttons to piss him off. Sonic smiled.

"We're going to have to travel to my home." Claws explained.

"Angel Island?" Amy asked.

Claws nodded. "The Superior Beryl is under surveillance by some of the best machinery and equipment that Kintobor donated.

"Kintobor?" asked Rotor.

"He's the last overlander left on Moebius, surely you've got one where you're from." Claws was surprised.

"Kintobor in this world." Tails stated. "Robotnik in ours."

"Dr. Ovi Kintobor is the main adversary against the Freedom Fighters. Those scoundrels tricked me into believing he was after my Superior Beryl when it was really Scourge."

"And ever since then you've been best friends… well, mortal enemies I guess." Sonic chimed in.

"He's affected so much with his crimes, we've teamed up with Kintobor. Myself, Rosey Ame, Ju-Lee Sue, the Anarchix, and others make up our band of guerrilla fighters." Claws explained. "Even Blush, my wife, is our spy is a part of it."

"Will I be able to meet my alternate self?" asked Amy.

"I'd rather not meet my boring doppelganger," Rouge side barred. "she sounds like a real tight-wad, or so I've heard."

"Time is short." Elias stated. "From the looks of things your world, I mean, our world is in trouble."

"You got that right our future king," Sonic nodded. "But I'm going to tell you this right now."

Elias straightened up.

"I'm not leaving here without my family." Sonic stated. Elias outreached his hand and shook Sonic's in a deal.

"Let's make it so." Elias smiled.

"You heard the man!" Sonic yelled. "Let's pack all this in… we're headin' home."


	28. Shadow or Scourge

They assembled.

All of them were punctual with their timing meeting in the public hall before the press and observers. They sit down and unlatch their briefcases and open their folders. They were one short, two if you count the hologram. The press was piling in on top of each other. Today was a big meeting and neither one-half of the administration nor the moderator was present. The details of the three-way trade were going to be discussed among the public.

"Where are the princess and her drone?" asked Hamlin in immediate uproar. Nicole appeared just in front of the table where the council seat.

"Excuse my tardiness but natural occurrence has befallen the princess." Nicole smiled. "She will not be attending today's meeting."

Hamlin pried. "Why not!"

"She went into labor late last night and is dilating as we speak." Nicole informed.

"Oh that is wonderful news!" Melvin exclaimed.

"Although most of my attention will be with the other hologram in the princess' presence." Nicole stated as she went to her usual spot between Sir Charles and Princess Sally's seat. "I am pleased to see the press have made it here on time and ready to record the details of the treaty to be. Now without any further delay let us open this meeting with the opening statements from The Sir Charles."

"Thank you." Sir Charles thanked as stood up to rise. "The notes of the last meeting are that we have officially agreed to fall in line with the last free nations of Mobius to become a world alliance. We believe that this alliance will help provide health and security not only for ourselves but Angel Island and Station Square."

The press began to write down a few important points or ready their tape recorders. Most were forming question after question for the Q&A process to come later on.

"The first topic we will discuss will be the thrones from each nation." Sir Charles announced as he began to sit.

"Sounds like my kind of topic." said a voice from the very back. He was cloaked and hidden in the shadows of his veil until his black and green glove pulled the hood from off of him. The press literally gasped and the council was even more confused.

"Sonic?" Sir Charles stood up. "What happened to ya son?"

"Sonic welcome back! What happened to you? How was the mission to the world between worlds? Where are the other freedom fighters? Where did you get those clothes from?" The press stood up asking question after question inquiring about the latest goings-on. Little did they know it was the King from Moebius seeking to destroy this place one way or another. Scourge smiled.

"Relax old man, I'm fine, just been travelin', that's all." Scourge approached. "So this is the all powerful council eh?"

"Just a little closer." Nicole whispered.

"Sonic, you fool how dare you talk down to us like we are scum of the ground. You know we are the highest power in Knothole." Hamlin fool-heartedly explained.

"I do now, fatty. Now shut up before I cut some bacon off your back." Scourge insulted. "Now as your King I'm breaking up this little glee club and pitching my tent here."

"Sonic…" Sir Charles started.

"My name's not Sonic!" he outbursts. "The name is King Scourge. Get used to praising it." Scourge stepped up onto the stage when Bunnie Rabbot dropped from the ceiling and threw a punch. Scourge simply stepped back and watched the rabbit miss her. Scourge reeled up when his arm stopped right in mid swing. Scourge simply smiled; maybe even laughed. He turned around to see another young rabbit holding her hand controlling him.

"Milk, you crazy bunny, let me go." Scourge smiled.

"Now ya'll are gonna stay right there sugah-hog." Bunnie smiled. "We got the rest y'ur li'l troop back in the ol' brig."

"You really think a little child can hold me?" Scourge smiled. He vibrated his body and effectively shook free from control. He sped free from clutches and nearly disappeared within the room when Nicole spoke.

"You are all in danger. Please leave the premises in an orderly fashion." Nicole announced through the loud speakers of the room. The press ran from the room as Scourge calmly sat down next to Nicole and across from the other councilmen. He sampled the small appetizers available for the members and was straight cocky about it.

Antoine poked his head up from back of the room as Cream approach the stage. She was furious since he had broken free. Cream lifted her hands and pointed them toward Scourge.

"I'm taking this city." Scourge cleaned his teeth. "And then I'm taking the world."

"You're not going to get past me asshole." Cream yelled.

"Get down." Nicole directed the council members.

Cream clinched her hand and crunched the chair Scourge was just in. She turned around and put out a line of control and smashed several rows of chairs. Scourge leaned against Cream and folded his arms.

"It's funny how fast your little power works." Scourge smiled. "You got me both times and yet you didn't."

Cream spun around and threw up her arms. Scourge caught them when Bunnie swiped a kick at him. Scourge threw Cream into Bunnie when Antoine swiped his sword almost through the hedgehog. Scourge was just too fast and too aware. Scourge swiftly fell to his feet and swung his legs around to smash Antoine in the chest with a spinning kick. The coyote hit the ground hard when Scourge was taken over by Control again. Scourge used his vibration again and started to dip and run straight for Cream. Scourge slammed into Cream and she hit the floor hard. Bunnie was assisting her husband, Cream was on the ground and Nicole was guarding the council. Scourge was about to takeover after all.

Scourge's nose started to flair.

"…Control!" The room lit up and flashed multiple times with a black hedgehog at the center. Shadow slammed into Scourge and held him down on the floor.

"You are disrupting the order of things here. Leave!" Shadow yelled. He pushed Scourges face into the solid tile floors when the greenish-blue hedgehog turned the tables. Shadow was on the ground now with Scourge laughing evilly.

"Who is this guy!" Scourge questioned. "What's your name, faker?"

Shadow started to sink in through the ground slipping away from Scourge's grasp. Shadow rose from the floor in ghostly fashion and simply folded his arms.

"My name is Shadow; there's no time for games." he stated. He lifted his arms and pushed toward Scourge. "Farewell!"

Built up Kinetic Energy zipped from Shadow's hands and right into Scourge's body. The green hedgehog hit the ground with Shadow running in at top speed. Shadow slammed him into the walls and then grappled him to the ground.

"Get him out of here!" Cream yelled.

Shadow gripped Scourge's jacket and started speeding out from the Hall of Acorns. Shadow held Scourge out with one arm and was having him slide all across the walls as he ran at near top speed. Scourge planted a foot against the wall and countered the speed. The two hedgehogs went into a tumble and knocked right through a few sets of walls. Shadow held his head in a moment of pain when Scourge tackled him through the barely standing wall. Scourge went into a roll and barreled right through the walls of the Hall. Shadow was launched outside with Scourge spinning right after.

Scourge reeled a speed enhanced punch and smashed against Shadow's head. The black hedgehog turned on his kinetic powers and took the blunt of Scourges punch and reversed it. Scourge went flying from Shadow. Scourge slid against the ground and almost instantly popped back up. Shadow was just before him holding out his hand with those infamous words on his tongue.

"Chaos Control." Shadow grabbed onto Scourges head and they teleported in flash of lime green Chaos Energy.

Nicole and the others were safe within the Hall of Acorns.

"Shadow has taken Scourge from Knothole through Chaos Control."

"What is being our plan of action?" asked Antoine.

Nicole looked to her left, as if her master was right there. "We need direction. The plan to gain Shadow's trust has come through at the right time."

"Hold on…" Cream paused. "Gain Shadow's trust?"

"We held Omega in order to lure Shadow. Once we turned Omega online Shadow would be paired with Rouge. She would bring back the "good old days" back into Shadow's mind and hopefully help us out in the end."

"And hope!" Cream questioned.

"Thankfully it's working as we speak." Nicole explained. "If Shadow has returned then the Freedom Fighters are on their way."

Nicole's explanation had transitioned from the Hall of Acorns to a secure location within the Tommy Turtle Memorial Hospital. Princess Sally was pleasantly sitting in the hospital bed nearing the peak of dilation.

"That's good news Nicole." Sally said with a few huffs behind them.

"You are handling your contractions very well." Nicole complimented. "You are a strong willed mother even in the beginning."

"I'll say." Dr. Quack chimed in. "You're doing a lot better than that one over there.

"Get this bastard out of me!" yelled Lassy Acorn. She was sweating and panting going through hellish contractions. Adding insult to the situation her arms were handcuffed to the hospital bed ensuring her place as a criminal to the Knothole House. Sally gripped her hand onto the bed and went through a powerful contraction.

"I think it's time." Dr. Quack smiled. "You're about to be a mother, Princess."

"Where is Sonic?" asked Sally.

"I'm not sure." Nicole stated with rare uncertainty.

"I need my team here, Nicole." Sally huffed.

"Don't worry." Nicole stated. "They're on their way."

Scourge dropped from the sky and landed on the paved streets of this Radical Highway. The orange struts of the tall bridge were glowing in the afternoon sky. Scourge barely dodged Shadow's dash by. Shadow spun around and folded his arms to face Scourge.

"This is where it ends." Shadow stated. Speeding cars zipped by the statuesque Shadow as Scourge looked left and right to the many lanes of this bridge. Below were miles of water, a dangerous threat to both of these hogs.

"If I have to go through you to enslave this world then let's make this happen, faker." Scourge knelt down.

"You sound like him." Shadow cocked his head to the left. "That arrogant air seems to have copied over to your world."

"And you, faker, are just an imitation." Scourge yelled. He zipped in a straight line and slammed right into Shadow. Shadow endured the intense speed and gripped onto Scourge. Shadow dug in and threw Scourge up into the sky by his own speed. Scourge flailed through the air instantly looking for a place to land among the uppermost struts of the bridge. Shadow created a path through the moving cars and onto the low points of the thick bridge cables. Shadow grinded up the cables as Scourge dropped in for a landing. Scourge went to the edge to come face to foot with Shadow. Shadow smashed Scourge with a powerful rising kick. Scourge hit the steel hard as Shadow soared into the air.

"Chaos Spear!" Shadow took aim easily and fired Chaos Energy in the form of spears. Scourge was grazed by the first two and then sprung to his feet. Shadow realized his spears were no longer useful. He dropped to the strut and was immediately surrounded by Scourge's running trail. Shadow stood erect and folded his arms.

"Chaos Control." Shadow smiled. Time slowed to a stop for Shadow as he saw Scourge still running at a decent amount of speed. Shadow spun around and slammed both hands in the chest of Scourge and blasted him with orchid and periwinkle energy. His kinetic and chaotic powers blending right through Scourge's jacket effectively launching him into the air.

Scourge was soaring through the air but not of his own will. All he could see behind and below was water. He smiled with foolishness and looked at his gloves; the kanji on the back read ground. He forced his hand out and nothing emerged; no mountain, no column, no pebble.

Scourge actually was in danger.

He threw off his torched jacket and got into a dart form. Shadow stood at the top of the bridges tower simply observing the action. Scourge zipped across through the air and was practically gliding. His feet touched the water and off he went. Shadow wasn't surprised. Scourge zipped under the bridge with Shadow following from the top. Shadow perched on top of the tower and peered downward to see Scourge running backward and holding up both middle fingers. Shadow furrowed his brows and then dropped down to the water. He was diving like a navy seal with arms crossed and legs wrapped. He was dropping fast as Scourge was hooking around for an attack. Shadow was within range of the water and was closing in fast for Scourge. Shadow unfolded all of his limbs and released a bubble of Chao-Kinetic energy into a bubble to ward off Scourge. The greenish hog bounced from his assault and spun out on top of the water – his feet still winding. Shadow had paused due to his bubble and dropped a few feet to start his run on the water. Shadow was skating across the water with Scourge right on his tail. Scourge jumped and tried to chop Shadow. Shadow jumped and blocked the chop while whipping around a kick of his own. Scourge blocked the powerful kick with his forearm and then landed right back onto the water. They were zooming at speeds over five-hundred miles an hour while having an intense fight. Radical Highway and Station Square were quickly becoming dots on the horizon as these two went into the ocean from the river way. The water they were running on was becoming hilly and wavy. The terrain was constantly changing as they chase around the world. Scourge was out in front smiling because he was faster than Shadow with his opponent playing catch up. Scourge did a small hop and revved his legs to kick up an explosion of water behind him. Shadow slammed right into it and threw his speed down into the hundreds. Shadow started to sink until he revved his own legs when another stream of speed induced water crashed over Shadow. Shadow's legs stopped moving and he immediately started sinking. Millions of gallons of water started to beat down upon Shadow. Scourge was running around in small circles over where Shadow had sunk trying to officially see his corpse sink into the depths.

Scourge would save his laughs for later when he would take the world. The ocean took a huge dip with Scourge still running around, checking for Shadow. Up above there he was reentering from Chaos Control with billions of gallons of water all around. Shadow teleported out of the way as the water crashed upon Scourge and the ocean below. Shadow teleported back in while standing atop a buoy. Shadow stared down at that water, waiting for Scourge to eventually pop back up.

He didn't.

Shadow clinched his fist while edging toward the water. He wasn't completely sure, he had to know. If anyone could survive anything it was Sonic and in turn so could Scourge.

Shadow prepared to wait it out.

Shadows ears flinched, a huge cluster of Chaos Energy had come back into the world. Shadow stood up on the buoy. It had been about five minutes since Scourge went under.

He was dead.

"Farewell, Scourge the Hedgehog… Chaos Control."

**Thanks for reading this issue of Sonic 51 and I have some other good news. I have updated my account at /Givannivan with three new pictures for Lassy, Tale, and Radiance. So check those out immediately after your through here. Hope to have you here next time and I'll see you then.**


	29. Moments before Anarchy

Sonic inhaled.

His hands plastered on his hips and a smile was on his face. He looked over the desert ruins and smelled the air again.

He was home.

Just behind him was his team. The Freedom Fighters plus a few extra from the world of Moebius accompanied Tails, Amy, Rotor, Rouge, and Knuckles. Commanding the helm of transportation was the Knuckles from Moebius' Dimension. Claws, as he is called, were on top of the huge Superior Beryl. He helped down Jules and Bernie Hedgehog with Elias and his family lends a few hands. Elias, his wife Megan and daughter Alexis had joined the journey back home along with the robot dog Muttski.

"It's good to be home again." Sonic smiled.

"Especially with people you care about." Bernice hugged her son.

"I can't explain it but it just feels right to be here." Jules smiled.

Sonic hugs his father. "It's home dad, there's no better explanation. Now let's get you guys to Knothole."

"That's probably for the best child." Rouge smiled.

"I disagree." Tails spoke up. "The Anti Freedom Fighters must be in siege of the city. We should get them to safe places like Station Square."

"They'll be safe in my care, Angel Island is a floating fortress." Knuckles stated.

"Really?" Claws asked. "Fallen Angel Island sinks."

"Someone should stay with Elias, his family and the Hedgehog's until this is all over." Tails looked at Knuckles.

"There is no way I'm staying out of this one. I need to repay Scourge for laying me out." Knuckles butted his fists.

"Hey genius, someone has to get the Master Emerald to nullify the Anti-Freedom Fighters attacks." Rouge stated.

Knuckles gave Rouge a sour look.

"You should go ahead Knuckles and meet us in Knothole." Amy suggested.

"Don't forget what I taught you guys. It's gonna help in the long run." Knuckles nodded to the pink hedgehog and then dug into the ground with excess speed.

"C'mon I'll take the civilians into temporary hiding until their gone." Rouge smiled while opening her wings. "Now that I've got my powers back…"

Rouge created a large platform of thick crystal that floated of her own will. The Moebians stepped aboard and took flight with only Claws and the Freedom Fighters left.

"Now the fun part." Sonic smiled.

Amy and Tails share a smug look. They were still pissed with this hedgehog.

"Does everybody remember their job?" asked Rotor.

A collective nod comes from the team, including honorary member Claws.

Instantly they blast off in all directions leaving Rotor alone with his jet pack. A few starts later his engines revved and the thrusters were a go.

Meanwhile in Knothole.

Scourge woke.

He was soaked to the bone with water everywhere in the darkened room. He coughed and gagged spitting water and shaking it from his spines. He hated the stuff and it's plagued him all too many times. He was like an anchor in the water and was just about to pass out when he felt it.

"Scourge?" a familiar voice questioned. Scourge looked to his left and found Kilos Prower locked within his clear false glass cell. "Big Bro! You made it back! You won't believe what happened to us! So we get here right and they're all like sure you can have our kingdom and we were like cool and great and stuff. Then they said you have to beat us in a dance dance revolution contest and I was like cool, I'm a beats in that game anyway. So me and the fake Tale were battling it out and then he hit a super hyper chaos combo and I was all like dude and he was like fo'real. So for losing we got locked up and in here."

"You tell the tallest tales kid." Scourge smiled while getting the water out of his ears. He examined the glass and noticed it was about ten inches thick.

"The only reason I made it here was because the Anarchic Force kicked back on." Scourge stepped back. The floor erupted with a huge column smashing right into the glass – not shattering it but bending it.

"It's back on?" Tale questioned. He placed a hand on the glass and looked at the symbol on the back of his glove. It read corrosion as his hand emitted a chalky greenish substance that spread across the glass. Bending it spread its molecules open to make the process quicker. The glass was no more and Tale stepped out of his cell.

"Dude I think it's time we took over, right?" Tale asked.

Scourge smiled. "Now you're sayin' something worth listening to. Where's everybody else?"

"Down the hall." Tale directed.

"Hey scumbags!" Scourge snickered. "We're going!"

Rock spears shot up from the ground and pierced the flexible glass of his associates. Siegfried D'Coolette also known as Patch and Boomer Waldron Walked out.

Scourge lowered his head barely wanting to ask the question. "Where is everybody else?"

"Mademoiselle Lassy has gone eento labor at zee same time weeth…"

"Yeah yeah I knew that…" Scourge waved off.

"When we got captured they took Buns in for…" Boomer explained.

"Shut up fatty, no one cares about her." Scourge turned around. "Looks like it's me and you big guy."

"Alright." Kilos pumped his fist. He sat on his thick tail which acted like a spring. Scourge blasted off instantly with Tale just behind.

Scourge blasted from out of the jail and right into the glow of the setting sun over Knothole. He paused momentarily taking it all in with the arriving Tale.

"Destroy it all." Scourge commanded. "If any refuse kill them too."

"You got it boss." Kilos threw a thumbs up. Scourge vanished off into the city leaving Tale in the vicinity of a neighborhood. Patch and Boomer run from the jail and into their mission. Taking over the city would be cake since they mapped out a solid plan within confinement. They stopped to quickly watch Tale begin his demolition. The brown fox crouched down a bit when his spine started to curdle. His tail stretched out about three times his height with no sign of letting up. The more it grew the more wider it got at the end. Kilos smiled and patted himself on the back when he spun around and took out a section of homes with his expendable tail.

He laughed from the destruction and jumped up and down.

Patch hit Boomer on the chest and they ran off to either start their mission or evade death. Tale swung again and smashed another section of houses. Nicole appeared moments later and inspected everything about the situation.

"Activating city defenses." Nicole calmly stated. "Run Tails program."

Huge towers within Knothole rose from the ground up and high into the air. From all of these towers one could see the whole view the whole metropolis that was Knothole. At the top of these towers were high velocity cannons. Kilos was in complete awe of the whole thing.

"Activate." Nicole commanded.

Kilos felt intense voltage through every muscle in his body. Another one of those would give him seizure or heart failure. He looked down to the ground and the source of the electricity. Kilos whipped his long tale around into a coil and launched into the air.

"Begin assault." Nicole stated. The cannons rotated and locked in on the airborne fox. Each laser of the cannon sound like shotgun fire as Tale rose into the air. Kilos Prower looked all around and saw nothing but towering cannons all around.

The nearest cannon's lasers closed in with Kilos extending his tail up and around his body creating a sphere of fur and bone. The lasers smashed against his tail and knock Kilos from the sky.

Nicole wasn't shocked or satisfied. She was a computer nonetheless – constantly calculating. Kilos unraveled himself and his tail and started to run within a neighborhood. He tried to reel his tail up but it was too long. His running was almost insulting – he was nowhere near Miles' rate of speed.

"I got a freaky computer chick after me!" Tale yelled. The brown fox was jolted with overwhelming electricity when he stopped and fell over.

Nicole appeared over a comatose Kilos Prower with that same unimpressed expression.

"Next target." she stated.

Scourge blasted into the Hall of Acorns.

He stopped in the middle of the press room and looked around. It was a darkened room with a few lights present among the wall. He zipped past each bench checking to see if any other traps were there for him.

All clear.

Scourge jumped onto the staging area and ran to the door where one could go further into the halls. He took a step further when he whipped around and clinched his fists.

"I saw you!" Scourge yelled.

No living being was there. Scourge was starting to become paranoid but he set it in the back of his mind and stepped onto the plush carpet.

"Scourge, was it?" a voice called. The greenish hedgehog sighed and walked into the press room again. He set up against the threshold and folded his arms.

"Old metal man! Who knew you were so light on your feet?" Scourge smiled. "I thought I was going crazy."

"Well I am a relative of Sonic." Uncle Chuck said while leaning back in his chair. "I won a few track medals back in my day."

"Is this gonna be a boring explanation of how things were in the 'good' ol' days?" Scourge said with finger quotes.

"No." Charles said. He kicked the chair out in front of him which slid out to face Scourge. "Have a seat."

Scourge smiled. "What you got up your sleeve old man?"

"This is your life, son." Charles said while clasping his hands. "And I'm going to call it how I see it."

"I'm not stayin' here for this bull-"

"Sit down!" Sir Charles exclaimed.

Scourge rolled his eyes and tightened his fists.

"You're not that different from my nephew, Scourge, your hotheaded, cocky, speedsters, who love attention."

Scourge smiled.

"Difference is that he's got compassion driving him while you have greed. You're an asshole hedgehog who needs to be put in check, and that's exactly what's gonna happen to you."

Scourge threw the table to the wall got right in the calm metal hog's face.

"You got one more time old man! One more before I show you what this hedgehog is really about!"

"I've seen this all before, I'm not surprised. Sit down!"

Scourge remained standing.

"You try and grab the world now because you couldn't hold on to it when it crumbled in your face. Let's wind the clocks back to when you were a child. I assume it was the Great Peace where you're from where there was a cease-fire between Overlander and Moebian races, but your kind wanted war, did they not."

Scourge clutched Sir Charles' robes and reeled back his fist.

"Your father and mother lead a resistance wanting peace but you selfishly followed the crowd. You were a child of only eight years when you stepped up to your father… He and your mother disowned you from that point on. Correct?"

Scourge pulled Charles from his seat and threw him into the wall. Scourge was heated. He was boiling over with anger as Charles sat up clearly uninjured.

"They died in the raid's of their fellow Moebians that night. The Overlander race, small and impotent as it was, was annihilated over the next few weeks. And the rest of the Moebians eventually took over with you as their leader."

Scourge stood over Uncle Chuck.

"You're just trying to distract me… I'm on to you, old man. I came here to kill Sally and maybe Lassy. I don't have time for you."

"That's because it ran out." Charles stated.

The press room shut down. The doors sealed closed with metal blast doors and Nicole appeared in the room.

"Good work Nicole." Charles stated.

"I hope the information was correct, lifting information across dimensional rifts proved a difficult task for systems." Nicole explained.

"I'm gonna kill you all." Scourge screamed. "I'm going to kill everyone!"

"I need you here now." Nicole calmly stated.

Scourge grabbed Sir Charles and pinned him against the wall.

"You ever watch as someone pulls out all your circuitry old man." Scourge asked as he gathered Anarchic Force in his hand. Charles didn't bat an eye, he was firm and strong. Scourge pierced his hand right through the metal hog's body. Charles was shocked.

"Doesn't feel too good, does it?" Scourge smiled. "Maybe a tug here, or a snatch there!"

Scourge ripped out a huge amount of wires from Uncle Chuck's body. Charles hit the floor going through sequences not of his will. He was active but not himself.

"Redirecting neural signals through the third circuitry board." Nicole uttered while coming to aid Uncle Chuck. She was using some kind of metal shifting underneath Sir Charles. Scourge went to bat her away when his hand fizzled through her.

"I know how to get rid of you, Nikki!" Scourge smiled. He started to build up Anarchic Force and push it out in waves. Nicole started to fizzle out. The Force interfered with the city's frequency that kept an image of Nicole present.

"He's… made his… location… aware." Nicole stated.

Scourge smiled.

"Check." Sir Charles stated.

The ground rumbled and out came Knuckles – fists first. Scourge was smashed by the red powerhouse. Knuckles landed in front of Chuck and almost instantly Nicole appeared back as a techno-nurse for Uncle Chuck.

"Subdue him!" Nicole stated.

"No problem." Knuckles smiled. He opened his palms and wheels of fire spun from his open hands. They grew larger and then lashed out into multiple strands of flames. Scourge was using his speed to dodge but the faster he went the smaller the room became. Scourge was running out of places to dodge especially with the press room burning to crisps.

A rafter fell and the light of the setting sun entered.

It took Scourge a half second but he pushed the ground up from under him and blasted out of the room. Knuckles was a bit shocked.

"They're powers!" Knuckles yelled.

"Their version of the Master Emerald is in our zone. It needs to be removed in order to effectively end their power."

"We're workin' on it." Knuckles said.

"Actually there is an intruder alert that went off further in the palace. Can you take care of them?"

"Them?" Knuckles smiled.

Scourge took a second to regroup in an empty house.

"This isn't good." Scourge thought. "They're everywhere! And the old man… I didn't get to kill him! I need to get the Beryl, it's my only option."

"How's it goin', faker." Sonic smiled.

Scourge's ears twitched. "Not too bad, faker. Just about to take over the world is all."

"Sounds fun. But it ain't gonna happen. Not while I'm here."

"Then it looks like this is gonna be easy."

"Nicole told me you attacked my Uncle. She also said he got into your head."

Scourge tightened his fist.

"I understand how it feels to have lost your father. I thought I did. But getting attention this way isn't the right path."

"I'm going to kill you hedgehog."

"What was the last thing you said to him? I hope you die? Or I'd kill you myself?"

"Stop it!"

"You're not a conqueror, Scourge, you're an opportunist."

Scourge darted over and smashed into Sonic. The two had barreled through a wall and were on the ground in deadlock. Sonic was gaining the upper hand when Scourge smiled – his tell.

Sonic back flipped as a rock spear jutted from the ground. Scourge whipped his legs around and got to his feet. Sonic landed on top of the house as the two pause and stare each other down.

"I've got a city to take over!" Scourge yelled. He sped through the city as Sonic took off shortly after among the rooftops.

"Let him go!" Nicole yelled. Sonic skidded to a stop. "If he goes anywhere near the Hall of Acorns he's going to get caught up with Knuckles again. Tails told me the plan. It's solid. I'm getting things ready for your ascension."

"Ascension? That's a new word for it." Sonic smiled.

"If all goes well, we will have the city cleared by nightfall."

"Where am I headed then?" asked Sonic.

"The Princess's chambers. You have an ally awaiting you there." Nicole stated.

Sonic darted off into the city toward the Hall of Acorns.


	30. Consideration after Chaos

Sonic entered the princess's chambers.

"You're late." Shadow stated. "I was tempted to use these."

"Shadow." Sonic smiled. "I didn't think you could restrain yourself with those baby's."

"Let's just get this over with." Shadow sighed. "I've got somewhere I need to be."

"Where's Sal?"

"Safe. She's currently in labor."

"Great timing."

"Who are we waiting for now?"

"Knuckles."

The Red Echidna found the two intruders.

Boomer and Patch were cornered and were still raring to go against the red machine. Knuckles stepped forward and made fire appear within his hands.

"Wee weel not be defeated!" Patch yelled. He held up his sword and ran in for Knuckles. Patch came in close and took swipe after swipe. Knuckles dodged a series of slashes when the last one nicked him across the arm. Patch held up his free hand motioned for the echidna to try again.

Knuckles opened his hands and fireballs appeared in his hands. He clamped down in the balls and made the fire erupt over his hand. Knuckles jumped up and smashed his hands on the ground shooting fire up and over Patch and Boomer. They both fell to the floor as Knuckles stood over both of them.

"You guys were close." Knuckles grabbed their smoking bodies. They were just a few feet down from the room where Lassy and Sally were. "Too close."

"We can take it from here, Knux." Tails said as he, Claws, Rouge, and Amy ran up.

"Bout time you guys showed up!" Knuckles gnashed. "We need every man we can get."

"Will you relax, Knuckles? Cream, Antoine, and Bunnie are inside. Nicole got them in there while we were doing our part."

"Where's the Master Emerald?" asked Tails.

"It's safe. No one can pull it out of my Chaos Energy." Knuckles bragged. "An added bonus for being the Guardian."

"Then you and Claws get into position." Tails waved off.

"Amy and I can handle things here." Tails stated. Knuckles nodded as he patted Claws on the back. The red machines ran down the hall hurdling toward their goal – the hedgehogs.

"And what am I supposed to do?" Rouge asked.

"Go in and protect Sally." Amy commanded.

"But you just said-"

"It's okay Rogue, you can trust us." Amy and Tails stated.

Rouge nodded. "I don't feel like fighting anyway, I'd rather continue my jewel hunting…" Rouge scurried down the hall leaving her team a man short.

Tails and Amy felt his presence.

Scourge was down the hall simply standing there staring down Amy and Tails.

"Kilos? Is that you?" Scourge asked.

Tails snapped and sent lightning right into the hedgehog's body. He fell to one knee and by that time Amy was already shadowing him. She whipped her arm around and smashed Scourge right into the hardwood floors.

Scourge was out.

"He was off guard." Tails smiled. "Best break we've ever had."

"He's coming to." Amy stepped back. Scourge went into a spin dash and fired off down the hall toward his goal. Tails dodged and crouched emitting lightning through his feet and ultimately through the floor. Scourge unraveled from his ball mode as he felt the volts from the young fox. The electricity stopped and the green hedgehog was still on the floor. Amy started to approach when Tails held her back a bit.

Scourge stood up and huffed.

"All… I wanted… was to kill the princess… and take over this city… But you little asswipes won't let me. So this is what's gonna happen…"

Knuckles and Claws burst into the room.

Shadow and Sonic were standing impatiently in the center of the Princess' room. There were no words exchanged between the hogs at all. Only the mission at hand.

"Are we ready?" asked Shadow.

"Knuckles this is Claws, he came and broke us out of jail." Knuckles explained.

"Let's hurry up and get these rats out of our dimension." Shadow stated. Luckily Claws didn't take offense to it.

"Is it smart to be inside while we do this?" Sonic asked.

"This was just a rendezvous point, faker, we begin outside. Chaos Control." Shadow yelled. They teleported outside of the Hall of Acorns and right in front of the Main entrance.

"Here we go." Knuckles said. He tapped his Chaos Energy and opened his palms. A tiny emerald appeared in his arms when it started to radiate a dark green energy. The energy was thick and not as concentrated as the energy from a Chaos Emerald. It was unadultered raw power coming from the Master Emerald which couldn't be used any other way than for the Chaos Emeralds. The tiny emerald expanded to its normal height and width which was just as tall as Knuckles himself. He set the emerald down and nodded to Claws.

"This is it." Sonic smiled.

Claws opened his palms when his Beryl appeared. It was small too but it started to grow as more Anarchic Energy poured into it. There was endless power within the stones these echidnas held which directed the smaller emeralds and beryl. The Superior Beryl grew to its size and its color was a light blue. This was it.

Knuckles and Claws nodded to each other and cleared their throat.

"The seven emeralds/beryl are the servers. Chaos/Anarchy is power, power enriched by the heart. The controller is the one who unifies the Chaos/Anarchy… The seven emeralds/beryl can change our thoughts into power. If this emerald/beryl controls that power… then let it free."

Knuckles and Claws held out their hands as their respective jewels started to spin and emit raw energy. They twirled slowly as the emeralds transported right by it and rotated around the center. Knuckles and Claws were concentrating trying to slowly release the right amount of Chaos so that it doesn't overwhelm everything. Sonic and Shadow however could feel it. They literally were on edge soaking up this power and were already getting the urge. Shadow took a step as did Sonic. They're short spines blinked into their super forms at the same exact times. Short bursts of power were given to them every other few seconds.

"Stay back Shadow this is my fight…" Sonic faced his adversary.

"I refuse to stand by and watch." Shadow pushed Sonic.

Knuckles and Claws were still concentrating on focusing the power of the Master Emerald. That raw energy would be too much to take at one time especially if the two most abundant receivers of Chaos Energy were right next to it. Knuckles opened an eye as did Claws when they simultaneously slammed their hands and sealed the energy. The Emeralds and Beryl instantly doubles in size and the Chaos Energy spiked to even more unimaginable power. Knuckles and Claws smiled and slapped hands.

"Such… power." Shadow smiled.

"You guys did it." Sonic smiled. "The Super Emeralds are back baby!"

"Super Emeralds?" Shadow asked.

"At this stage of the emeralds of power they are called the Super Chaos Emeralds, or Super for short, they can grant a Chaos Receiver limitless abilities." Claws explained. "I believe that is the correct terminology in this dimension."

Knuckles nodded. "Hey Sonic, you remember the last time we had to use these babies?"

"How could I forget?" Sonic shrugged. His memory was still a bit patchy in some places but overall he got the gist of things.

"Robotnik had tricked me into letting him use the Chaos Emeralds took take over the world. He was going to use it from his space station Death Egg. Just before Sonic and Eggman fought in the sky I managed to overload his station by changing them into the Super Emeralds. Oddly enough I did it at the exact moment Sonic struck the final blow. We fell to the island one after another and knowing as I did the only way to get the Super Emeralds was through giant rings only located on Angel Island. So hid them…"

"And we found them and kicked that guy to the curb." Sonic rounded out the story.

"Now it's going to be used by someone far more deserving, I'm going to be the one that uses them!" Shadow yelled.

"Go ahead." Sonic let him by.

"I will." Shadow stated.

"I'm letting you."

"I'm taking it."

"I see talking but I don't see walking."

Shadow approached the emeralds still rotating the Master Emerald.

"Don't forget the plan, In order to beat Scourge you must beat him when he is at his weakest, which means he must go into his super form. You two must take paralyze him long enough so that the Superior Beryl can transport us back home."

"I will deliver."

Shadow felt the presence of the emeralds and closed his eyes. He tightened his fists as rocks and debris started to lift up and around him. Small cracks in the ground started to spread just a few feet underneath his shoes. Rose gold flame-like energy started to glow from Shadow's body. He let out a jarring war cry as his eyes went to a cherry red. His markings also went the same color as his black fur turned a pale gold.

Super Shadow, not Hyper Shadow, had returned.

Sonic smiled and shook his head.

"Where is Scourge?" Shadow erupted. He lifted to the sky and flared that flame-like energy to his maximum. The Hall's main entrance exploded with Amy Rose hurdling out of the building.

"Amy!" Sonic yelled. He darted off into the city and trying to pinpoint where she would land. Shortly after Tails flew out of the main entrance whirling electricity within his six flight enabled tails. Scourge smirked as he darted for Tails when the fox lifted higher into the sky and then whipped his tails to strike lightning bolts around Scourge's vicinity. There were streams of electricity coming from those six continuous bolts that were emanating from Tails' appendages. He landed just in front of the Master and Superior gems. Scourge was trapped within the electrical prison.

"You think you can hold me!" Scourge yelled. He started to spin rapidly and then burrowed.

"Tails!" Knuckles yelled.

A seventh bolt of lightning struck from the ground up effectively stopping Scourge's escape. He flailed up into the air and then hit the ground hard.

"I'm going to kill all of you!" Scourge yelled.

"Hurry up Shadow!" Tails screamed. The Super-formed Shadow soared through the lightning barrier and curled up his fist. Time slowed down in that instant just as Shadow came across Scourge's face with a right hook. The barrier fell and so did Scourge. He was sent flying into the concrete monolith of a kingdom building. He was still conscious which was amazing and still able to move from such a shot.

"You want to try and kill me?" Shadow crossed his arms as he floated above Scourge.

"Try?" Scourge questioned. He blasted off toward the double-size Super Beryl and took in the forces from all seven. Shadow stopped to watch the show; he didn't have any doubts Super Scourge would be a match for him. Scourge started to flair Anarchic force that looked like lavender flames as well. His green fur was turning darker with each second.

Amy within Sonic's arms had returned to the scene and halted among the Freedom Fighters.

"Shadow!" Sonic yelled. "Get out of there."

"Shut up Sonic!" Tails yelled. "Shadow and Scourge will both kill each other if this goes right."

"You don't understand!" Sonic yelled. "The only way Shadow can become Hyper is if he collects one-billion rings! And if I have done it, then so has Scourge!"

Scourge the Hedgehog had completed his transformation. He floated above the ground not even using his own power. The aura around him was gone and his appearance had shifted. The last Super form of Scourge seen was a purple hedgehog with black and red eyes and a lavender aura surround him. This time would be different.

Scourge folded his arms mimicking Shadow's infamous pose. The Hedgehog was based off in purple but every few seconds a color would fade in and out among his fur. He was going through all colors of the Anarchy Beryl. His eyes were going through the same color phases while his spines were waving in the wind he was creating. They were elongated and down to his knees along with Shadow's jaw. The day started to become shaded within a mile's radius. Scourge had brought darkness with his manifestation.

"I will… not… be bested by a puny interdimensional tyrant!" Shadow yelled. "I am Shadow the Ultimate-"

Shadow was on the ground almost instantly and back to normal again. He was drained of all his Chaos Energy and physical energy.

"Shadow!" Amy yelled.

A black hole floated back toward Scourge as he turned around to those behind him.

"We've made a mistake." Claws stated. Scourge waved his hand and everyone fell to the ground. He had never imagined such a force within him. This was all so new to him. He clinched his hand and every freedom fighter on the ground started to writhe in pain – each of them grasping their neck in anxiety.

Hyper Scourge was a force.

"I said I was going to kill you!" Scourge smiled. "I'm not taking back my words!"

"You will today." Sonic stated.

Scourge didn't turn around.

"I was wondering when you were gonna make a sound back there faker." Scourge laughed as he continued his choking.

"Let 'em go." Sonic commanded.

"No!" Scourge squeezed tighter – a few seconds more and they would be dead!

"This world is yours if you can beat me…" Sonic stated.

"Now that's more like it!" Scourge instantly faced Sonic and stretched out his hand.

"…But it has to be on even terms." Sonic finished. Scourge couldn't grasp over Sonic's Chaos Energy and take control of his body. Something was wrong for the Moebian.

"Those damn billion rings make your Anarchic Force stronger." Scourge thought.

Sonic focused on the Super Emeralds power and felt it mix in with his own Chaotic Energy. Sonic's lime aura sprouted around him imbuing powers to the very core of him. His eyes went from green to red and his true blue went to a golden yellow hue.

Super Sonic had emerged again.

Scourge was biding his time while awaiting a worthy adversary. Shadow proved to be nothing more than a whipping to him so far; how would Sonic prove against the Scourge of the Moebian dimension. Sonic was emblazoned in bright yellow and his quills were down to his ankles and waving violently in the air. He was a pinnacle of light among the drab daytime. Sonic opened his eyes and focused on Scourge. His eyes started to color phase as well as his spines. Then four small beacons of light started to orbit around Sonic. It was very hard to even stare at Sonic in his brilliant glory.

Hyper Sonic shakes the world with his presence.

They floated there soaking in each other's presence; Scourge and his darkness behind him and Sonic of the light behind him. They hover in the air as still as could be.

Had time stopped?

They inched closer and everything started to contort around them as if the dimension itself was crumbling apart. They could hear it all tearing to shreds and screeching for resolution.

There would only be one resolve after this.

They struck in only a billiseconds notice and when they did it was like a thousand thunders. They were everywhere striking all over the ground and sky. They seemed to be in multiple places at once. They were ripping the sound barrier apart in constancy and with each clash the light and the darkness would fizzle. No one knew from this side of the vantage point could spot the one with the upper hand.

Knothole was shaking, literally shaking.

The air was quaking the sound was painful to hear. Sonic and Scourge were ripping apart the natural elements of the world. The others on the battleground had all emerged and were feeling the whipping winds of the fight. It was torrential to be anywhere near this. Tails stood up and pointed for them to seek cover. They all started to run except for Claws and Knuckles.

"Hurry up!" Tails spat.

"We can't!" Knuckles yelled. "We're just as much in this as they are!"

"A portal must be opened and the Moebians forced back into our own dimension! The Superior Beryl and Master Emerald are needed for it." Claws explained.

Tails nodded.

"Just don't die!" Tails ran off with the others to find solidarity among the wavering fight.

Speed was too slow. Time was the name of the game now.

Hyper Scourge whipped his leg around and smashed Sonic across the face. Hyper Sonic recoiled and uppercuts Scourge into the air. They chased each other down and continued with a fury. The punching and kicking were so fast it looked like a plain blur. Neither side was backing down. Each hedgehog was giving into chaos and providing anarchy for the opposition. Scourge was sent flying across the Knothole sky.

Sonic had finally struck a deciding blow.

There was barely anytime to think. He whipped his arms up and directed them toward his opponent. A chaos-imbued wind curled up and was flung across the world. Scourge straightened up and was hit with the razor wind. Scourge's hyper veil blinked and Super Scourge could be seen for a brief moment. The purple hog seethed in anger when Sonic appeared and smashed him across the chin. Scourge hit the ground upright and stared up to Sonic.

They were out in the country now. Tall trees and a few rolling hills just a few miles from Knothole. The landscape would be changed after Scourge quickly meditated and crouched. Countless acres of land abruptly rose from the face of Mobius and into the skies. Sonic stopped his flight and dropped down to the land masses and started to dodge down to his adversary. Sonic came within inches to the first mass when it wrapped his feet. Sonic broke from it almost instantly but was blindsided by a huge column. It smashed against him and pressed onto the ground. The occupied land mass fell back down to Mobius with Sonic still in captivity. Scourge was like a puppeteer as the small islands up above started to direct toward Sonic. They stacked upon him, one by one with tons of weight crashing against pure chaos.

Sonic couldn't take the weight and in turn forced out huge waves of Chaos Energy. The land around him was instant dust and his golden aura had returned to use it all up. Hyper Sonic blinked away and had Hyper Scourge within his clutches. They were pressing against each other, grappling each other's hands in pure strength. The light and the darkness were infinitely clashing as they both gripped tighter.

Then it was done.

Hyper Scourge fizzled away. The super powered anarchy Beryl force was gone. Hyper Sonic quickly took advantage and reeled his arm back. Super Scourge could only imagine what the pain felt like. He was unconscious before he even felt the pain. Hyper Sonic would have a few minutes before his form would wear off.

Sonic transported back before Knuckles and Claws with a knocked out Scourge in his hands.

"Hurry." Sonic stated.

The echidna's nodded and jumped to the top of their jewels and pressed down. A thick air of raw energy filled the area. Hyper Sonic' ears twitched and his squinted his eyes. It was annoying to feel but a lot more manageable to deal with in his current form. Knuckles and Claws recited.

"The seven emeralds/beryl are the servers. Chaos/Anarchy is power, power enriched by the heart. The controller is the one who unifies the Chaos/Anarchy… The seven emeralds/beryl can change our thoughts into power. If this emerald/beryl controls that power… then let it reunite those aliens with their own world."

A portal appeared right before the Master/Superior jewels that shined a nice soothing blue. Hyper Sonic placed Scourge right in front of the portal and then quickly sped off to find the others. In an extremely short time, all the alien residents from Moebius were lined up in front of the portal in handcuffs. Once all were gathered Hyper Sonic powered down to normal true blue again. He held his head upon exiting his most powerful state. He almost tipped over when Knuckles stopped it and held him over his shoulder.

"Aww man." Sonic smiled.

"You did it Sonic." Knuckles stated. "All the Moebians are right here."

"Except…" Sonic stated.

Cream and Antoine were properly wheeling out Lassy Acorn toward the portal. She had not one but two little bundles of joy in each arm.

"Congratulations, princess." Claws stated.

"They're so cute." Lassy smiled. "They make me want to be less evil."

Antoine pushed her forward into the wheelchair while Cream eased her up with a bit of control.

"Yeah take your ugly little munchkins back to the trashy part of town." Cream wholeheartedly stated.

Lassy eased up and stepped up to the portal.

"Your world has made me see something." Lassy started to finalize. "Teamwork get's you everywhere… so I will incorporate this into my own Freedom Fighters and come back and finish the job. But for now, I will raise my unwanted children to elite fighting machines."

Cream shook her head and approached Lassy Acorn.

She raised her foot slowly and pushed Lassy Acorn into the portal. She raised her hands and lifted all the other Moebians up and into the portal. She patted her hands and turned around.

"Something's you just gotta do yourself." Cream stated.

Claws jumped from atop his Beryl and lifted it above him.

"I've enjoyed my stay here on your world but there is no other place like home." Claws stated. "Knuckles… it was good that we met. I don't feel so alone out here anymore."

Knuckles nodded in agreement.

Claws jumped into the portal with it closing just seconds behind him.

"It's over." Antoine sighed. The night had started to set in. Who knew what kind of destruction the daylight would bring? For now it was a time of rest and victory. Knothole was safe again and this time with new life.

Shortly after the portal was sealed, a visit was paid to Princess Sally's room. She was transported here shortly after giving a natural birth to two beautiful twins. Although no longer married to him, Geoffrey St. John would have been proud to see these two younglings. Antoine and Cream led the way into her room along with Knuckles still holding up Sonic. It was said that Shadow and Rouge had stopped by to see the children and quickly left afterwards. Sally was in her bed, fatigued but happy to be holding her precious children. Tails and Amy watched Sonic and Knuckles approach Sally; they all were in fact. They stepped upon the bed's platform stairs and took a long look at the newborns.

The first to emerge was a beautiful baby girl – the spitting image of Sally Acorn with wild purple hair and royal soft purple fur. She was wrapped in a blue blanket while her brother was wrapped in a green blanket.

"Wait a second." Knuckles nearly choked. He almost had dropped a shocked Sonic in the process. "Sonic?"

Sonic gazed at Princess Sally and released himself from Knuckles hold and over to her bedside. He planted a huge kiss upon her as Amy rolled her eyes.

"Congratulations, Sonic," Princess Sally smiled. "You're a father."

Sonic endured the strain on his body and picked up his children – his daughter a cute squirrel/chipmunk with hint of hedgehog and his boy. He was blue with a hint of lime green upon his skin. His spines were wild and had jagged black outlines around his belly.

"I'm still confused how did this happen?" Knuckles begged for answers.

"I can answer this." Nicole blinked inside the room. "Once Sonic had awakened from his coma those feelings about Princess Sally's past love interest came rushing back at once. But being part of a marriage already she couldn't act upon it. But an alter ego could."

"I became a bit of a stealthy queen and found a way to get to you Sonic." Princess Sally admitted.

"…Slut…" Amy coughed in the background.

"And I wouldn't change any of it." Sally smiled.

Sonic smiled at Sally and gave her another kiss. "I knew you couldn't hold out for long."

Princess Sally slugged him in the arm as they smiled.

"The Princess needs her rest fellow freedom fighters. We will see you all in the morning." Nicole gently nudged everyone out of her room and left the new parents alone.

"Nicole." Sally called.

"Yes?" Nicole replied.

"Will everything be ready for my brothers' coronation?" asked Sally.

"Yes. He and his family are being taken out of hiding as we speak and will be taught the laws of our kingdom."

"How long's that gonna be?" asked Sonic.

"Six months." Nicole stated.

"Say what?" Sonic questioned.

"Relax Sonic, it'll give the counsel a lot of time to get things ready and us some time to raise our children." Sally stated.

"I guess that's cool." Sonic smiled.

Darkness gathered.

Deeper than night itself, with lightning constantly flashing among its skies and rolling thunders occurring like heartbeats. The scene below was marvelous and destructive. Countless tons of machinery, robotics, scrap yards and wastelands were all under the veil of this polluted cloud.

It was Robotropolis.

Buildings were everywhere, tall and ominous. All of the skyscrapers were laced with technology inside and out. All of it though was inactive and had been for years. Robotropolis was nothing more than an elaborate tomb withholding its only occupant.

Inside of a darkened room water dropped onto the floor. It had rained here recently, for the first time in a long time. The water dropped every second or so but the sound started to get hard and harder each time. They weren't water droplet's anymore but footsteps.

_His_ footsteps.

His shadow passed by the dripping water and down into the deeper recesses of the room. His long overcoat slid against the dusted floors. He was simply observing as he strolled through. He made neither a verbal sound nor any gestures. He finally reached his goal and outstretched a long arm and large hands. He used one finger and flipped the switch to the on position. The machine lit up and so did its large screen. Millions of amounts of data started to scroll up on the screen. His eyes darted across it all as if reading and understanding everything he saw. He turned from the screen and laid hands across chin and goatee.

"This information will take time to crack. Whatever _he_ was doing was dysfunctional and disorganized. It's best that I stepped in then. As this world's most powerful mind I will start where _he _so irresponsibly left off. I am Robotnik and with that name I will extend my title to the farthest reaches of the planet to create my own world and finally become god."

**Wow! So yeah… it's been… it's been a while. LOL. Happy to say that Arc 3 of Sonic 51 is officially over. Now with that being said I can finally announce the presence of Robotnik is back into these pages! Be on the lookout for the next arc and next issue of Sonic 51 and for more artwork too. **


	31. Caring for the Crown

The sun was bright up above.

A new day dawned over Knothole and the citizens awoke with much spry. It had been a glorious six months of peace. The unification of the free world had been going smoothly and has been just as predicted. Station Square was handing over equipment just as Knothole was handing over information. Angel Island was providing medical supplies in exchange for agricultural needs. The Alliance of the Free World was strong but was about to become even stronger.

Today was the day for the King's coronation. Elias Acorn was to finally assume the throne.

Delegates from Station Square, and crowns from Angel Island flocked in as Knothole warmly welcomed all. Nicole planned out all of the details and was handing out assignments to all the volunteers. The council was to be absolved after today so they still humbly accepted the last of their gratitude.

"I wish we had one more time to gather around as we did…" said Duke. The old brown buffalo huffed as Melvin the deer placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Relax Duke, I'm sure Elias will find some place for us in his kingdom." She smiled.

"I suppose I'll go back to a district governor, although I won't have much say as I did here." George rattled on while patting down his oily hair. The cardinal lifted a wing and scratched his belly with his beak.

"What a sorry lot indeed." Hamlin smiled. "I've made sure of my job security and managed to become an advisor to his soon-to-be majesty." The smug pig lifted up his nose.

"I'm fine with going back to my old job. I'm not the arguing type anyway." said Sarah, a community leading Minx.

"All's well it ends well." Sir Charles walked up to his former colleagues. "I hope you all have learned valuable lessons from the time we've been together."

"Hardly." Hamlin rolled his eyes. The other councilmen respectfully nodded.

"We all knew there was some finality in this job and it comes in the form of today's coronation. I know you all my have some hopes of getting back to your regular lives but I've swung my weight around and gotten you all positions as advisor's for the King, that's if you want it."

Hamlin was irate. There goes his one-up over everyone else.

"I'll gladly perform my services for the crown." Duke smiled and shook Sir Charles hand as did George and Melvin and even regretful Sarah.

"As for this old coot," Sir Charles smiled, "I'll step down and leave my extra vote to you Hamlin."

Hamlin raised an eyebrow. He wanted to make sure he heard that correctly. "Could you repeat that again.

"My vote is yours Hamlin," Sir Charles smiled. "Of course not immediately, I'd have to show you all the ropes and make sure you're all treated all royal like, I'd say in a few weeks I'll retire to my li'l ol' chili dog stand again."

A green blur slid in from the side. "Did somebody say, chili dog?"

A mauve blur slid in next to the previous. "Chili dog? Where?"

"Well if it isn't my two favorite newborns." Uncle Chuck smiled.

"Hey watch it old man, we're on to your tricks." The green hedgehog pointed.

"Manic shut up, you know this is our Great Uncle!" his sister stated.

"I don't know Sonia, he looks like a traitor to me." Manic eyed him up and down. "You and me old man, right now! A race around the world!"

"Just like your father." Sir Charles mumbled. "Run along you two! This is grown up business, why don't you find your mom and dad."

"Mom and Dad?" Manic turned up his face.

"You know Sonic and Sally?" Sonia pushed her brother.

"Oh they're those kind of parents…" Chuck huffed.

"Race you there!" Sonia pushed Manic and blasted off.

"No fair cheater!" Manic called after her.

They sped across Knothole from the center square to upper north side where the Hall of Acorns rested. They darted through the doors at their top speed of one-hundred and haphazardly interrupted an in-progress Freedom Fighter meeting.

"All I want is for everyone to watch the perimeter, there's going to be a lot of delegates here and I don't want anybody getting hurt." Princess Sally explained.

Manic and Sonia ducked behind a column as soon as they entered the hall. They'd never been allowed into these kind of meetings so this was all new to them.

"It looks like everybody is here." Sonia whispered.

"Yeah, there's Sally, Auntie Nicole, Sonic, Tails, Amy, Rotor, Bunnie, Antoine, Cream, Knuckles, Julie-Su, and look Rouge!" Manic sighed. "There's just something about that bat lady that I love."

"Duh, because she has the best makeup!" Sonia knocked her brother in the head.

"Stop it I can't hear."

"I still don't see what the big deal is about this." Sonic rubbed the underside of his nose. "couldn't we have just put the crown on the guys head six months ago?"

"The coronation is a big deal Sonic, Elias had to learn and memorize the Code of Laws again and make adjustments on how Knothole is run. Trust me I still have a hard time remembering…" Knuckles folded his arms.

"That's why I do the paperwork and you do the grunt work." Julie-Su smiled.

"Not only that but Elias is a major piece in the Free World Alliance, hopefully with his rule we can take back the other two-thirds of Mobius from Robotropolis." Tails stated, whisking his seven tails behind him.

"Yeah Sonic everybody knows that." Amy took a shot.

Sonic turned to Amy. "I'm sorry I don't think anybody was talking to you."

"Sonic!" Sally sternly voiced. "A teammate is not one who you should fight with."

"Sonic got in trouble." Amy sing-sang so that only the group around her could hear, including Sonic.

"Now uh, can I make a li'l ol' suggestion?" the female cyborg started.

"We're all ears Bunnie." Sonic replied.

"What do ya'll say 'bout gettin' some of the G.U.N. agents to cover more security?"

"G.U.N. has refused to send in their machines, or any of their agents. They feel since we invited them then this is our show."

Rotor huffed. "Typical bureaucrat nonsense."

"Say what you want about G.U.N. child, they're just trying to cover their own backside." Rouge smoothly chimed in. "But forget about that, how much is this job paying me?"

Julie-Su rolled her eyes. "How bout a knuckle sandwich?"

"Eww, a three way with you and big Red over there. You got to be out of your mind." Rouge winked at Knuckles. Cream roughly grunted while throwing her hands up into the air.

"Oh My Gosh! Can we just go through one meeting without somebody blowing up over the littlest thing!" Cream exclaimed.

Everyone quieted.

Cream pointed to Sally. "Toots! What's the plan?"

"Provide security for Elias' coronation." She smugly recited.

"Thank you!" Cream started her approach toward the door. "Freakin' idiots always wasting my time, I got things to do and you just wanna sit there and argue…"

Cream passed by the hiding Manic and Sonia and was on her way out the door.

"Oh yeah!" Cream lifted a hand pushed back toward the Freedom fighters. "These two were here for the past five minutes."

Manic and Sonia rolled to the front of the meeting by way of Cream's Control.

"Heh, oops." The children smiled.

Sally sighed.

"What are you guys doing here?" Sonic approached his kids. "You know you're not supposed to be here."

"I'll race you for it!" Manic yelled. "Right here, right now! A race around the world!"

"Manic shut up!" Sonia pushed her brother. "Umm we were just looking for a place to practice our counting and whoops we found you guys in a meeting so… we'll be cruisin'."

"Stop right there." Sally commanded. The two froze from their mother's cold voice. "Nicole can you take those two back home."

"As you wish, princess." Nicole blinked away and reappeared next to the kids. "On your way."

Nicole guided the kids out of the Hall when another Nicole appeared next to Sally. "I'm receiving hails from multiple choppers. The delegates from Station Square are within Knotholan airspace."

"Freedom Fighters, let's make this happen." Sally stated. They all quickly filed out of the Hall of Acorns as Sonic and Sally remained. He darted up to the stage and held out his hand as Sally took it and leapt down.

"You okay Sal?" Sonic asked.

"Of course I am." She stated, walking faster to evade anymore questions. Sonic sped in front of her.

"You sure."

"Yes Sonic, I'm fine. I'm great actually, I finally get to run missions with you guys soon! Elias will empower Knothole and the pressure from me will be lifted."

"I thought you liked all that responsibility and junk?"

"I do Sonic, I do. But that responsibility has to be focused on other things now."

"Example?"

"Like our kids Sonic!"

"Oh yea, I like those guys!"

"You act like they don't affect you at all."

"What am I supposed to do? Change over night! I'm Sonic the hedgehog, the fastest thing alive baby! I can't become a boring, stingy old hedgehog stick-in-the-mud!"

"Oh no! I'm not gonna play the play the bad guy while your best friend to those two!"

"Relax, Sally, every story needs a bad guy, you'll be very important in the teenage years."

"I cannot believe you…"

Sally began to storm off as Sonic fell to a knee.

"Sonic!" Sally helped up the father of her children. He got up as quickly as he fell. His face was of a smile.

"I'm fine Sal, honest."

"Hyper Sonic does a lot more damage than we thought. Did this happen after you destroyed the Death Egg?"

"I don't know... I can't remember still. At least it's not as bad as a few months ago."

"Sonic I wish you would take some medication or at least see Dr. Quack again about-"

"No more quack doctors... I've wasted five years in medical care already. I'm ready to shine baby shine!"

Sally turned up her face but didn't say anything.

"This isn't over yet."

Sonic whispered. "Will it ever be?"

Sally had a way of putting things off until the greater mission was finished. Her previous phrase would be the indicator. As for now, the two traveled into the open air of Knothole just outside of the Hall of Acorns. The sky was a bright blue and the sound of chopper blades sliced the sky. Four huge choppers were soaring over Knotholan airspace headed for the airfield.

"I got us a high profile mission, we're going to be overseeing the arrivals." Sally explained, hopping into Sonic's arms. "And you better not have another episode while you're carrying royalty."

"You drop one princess, you drop 'em all." Sonic smirked.

Sally smirked and the two darted off. Sally was used to the speed and Sonic didn't let up. He knew deep inside she was an adrenaline junkie just like him. The new parents passed all of the old haunts like the Knothole Mall, Uncle Chuck's chili dog stand, and the old apartments the Freedom Fighters used to stay in. In a flash Sonic and Sally stepped onto the airfield pad and arrived just as the first helicopter sat down.

Sally and Sonic watched in awe as several canine guards mysteriously appeared around. The Royal Guard were completely aware of their task and would get the delegates safely to the Treetop Metropolitan Assembly Hall. A couple of rhino's in black suits stepped out of the chopper. They pressed a hand on their ear simultaneously and then let down the stairs from the chopper. From the vehicle stepped the President of Station Square. He was a tall and burly lion with a well-manicured gray mane. He was Lionel Tower, brother of the Director of G.U.N. HQ, the military might of Station Square. Next to him was his wife and more rhino's acting as his royal guard. The president and first lady stepped down and immediately greeted Princess Sally and Sonic the Hedgehog.

"Good Morning Mr. president." Sally curtsied, "Welcome to Knothole."

"You extend a warm hand of friendship, fellowship, and gratitude. I am honored. No! Thrilled to be in your company." President Tower relayed.

"How's it hanging' Mr. pres?" Sonic bumped fists with him and the first lady.

"A little worse for wear, don't you think?"

The first lady was a leopard. With dark brown hair and a classy businesswoman's suit on her person. She instantly waved off Sonic the Hedgehog.

"Delegates I would like to introduce to you my boyfriend and Hero of Knothole, Sonic the Hedgehog."

"Let me get this straight, he will NOT be the coroneted today, correct?" the first lady burned.

"Rebecca!" Lionel rolled his eyes. "I cannot take you anywhere. I'm sorry for her actions. They were facetious, mal-tempered and rude. I am saddened. NO! Embarrassed for her attitude. Come on Rebecca."

The President along with his Secret Service were escorted by the Royal Guard a short trip to the assembly hall. More delegates passed by from the other two choppers from Station Square. There were representatives, senators, and a few involved celebrities. Sonic and Sally met with most of them and gave handshakes and fist bumps all around. Sonic and Sally were just about through when a massive chopper floated down from the clouds. It was twice as big as the other helicopters and was painted a gaudy purple. Sally rolled her eyes as Sonic stepped up a bit.

"This guy has got to be huge!"

"What?"

"I mean he comes here in this awesome helicopter and he's late plus the entrance is grand. This guy has style."

"I think you're going to eat those words in a second."

The stairs folded out from the landing chopper and out stepped a few gorgeous felines and birds, clearly drunk from the rides refreshments. A few mobster animals stepped out next as they passed Sonic and Sally without a glance. Then the chopper shifted and out of it stepped the tallest anthropomorphic animal they'd seen. Sally wasn't impressed but Sonic was a different story.

He grabbed his head as images reeled back into his mind. This tall boss was responsible for many ordeals involving the Chaos Emeralds, Knuckles' home, and even the Master Emerald. Sonic's memory reel was brief but it was all he needed.

He zipped forward and stood right at the landing. The tall man stepped onto the helipad and brushed off his pure white suit. The purple undershirt he wore matched his vehicle as well as the gaudy gold rings on his fingers. His tusks were huge and his fur was a very neat shiny brown. He clicked his scepter onto the ground and eyed the blue miscreant at his stoop.

"Mammoth Mogul." Sonic spat.

"Sonic the Hedgehog." Mammoth cockily smiled. "What a pleasure!"

Sonic was in battle stance as Sally musingly approached.

"Haven't seen you in a while..." Sally folded her arms, "I'm surprised you're not filthier than usual."

"The casino business is a clean one my dear, one that grants me the lavish lifestyle I've grown accustomed to." Mammoth shrugged.

"Of course that's just a front, right. A legitimate businessman like yourself always has a few back door schemes." Sonic smiled.

"The only back door schemes I have now is a remodeling of my porch. Casino's, nightclubs, and the alcohol companies are my concern now."

"Then what brings you here?" Sally asked.

"As a mogul of extreme grandeur I am always trying to find new ways to increase my shares and one branch is through politics. Specifically, the Station Square Presidency. My funding is backing the entire Free World Alliance so I feel it's rather important for me to be present."

Sally just glanced at Sonic who was tapping his foot and rubbing the underside of his nose.

"Enjoy your stay." Sally waved him off; Mammoth clicked his cane and began to walk, "Don't make a mess of things Mammoth, I'm letting you know now you will be watched."

"I'm well aware of the attention I will receive but I'm sure my power, I mean, prowess will give me oversight."

Mammoth Mogul walked off being guided by the Royal Guardsmen as Sonic turned to Sally.

"We better warn Tails that he's here."

Sally shoved Sonic.

"Hey!"

"You listen to me Sonic the Hedgehog, Mammoth Mogul is a threat, a real and solid threat. We barely overcame him the last time and now..."

"Sal, chill out, man." Sonic smiled. "You know sometimes you move even too fast for me."

Sally smiled. "Fine."

Sally lead Sonic the way to the assembly hall and was still smiling along the way. "You know just what to say to me."

Sonic shrugged. "I guess I'm just gifted you know."

Sally smiled and then frowned. "And you know just what not to say too."

Sonic stopped. "What? What I say? You know I speak nothing but truth!"

_Meanwhile in the icy land of the Southern Tundra_

Shadow grudgingly took another step.

The blizzard that held him up for a few days had finally ended and the sky was bright and cloudless. Needless to say the air was brashly cold. Shadow wrapped himself in a thick cloak and hood as he bounded across the ice shelf. He started this journey as soon as he awoke from Hyper Scourge's bludgeons. The fact that Sonic, the acclaimed Hero of Knothole, had obtained one billion rings proved that he was in fact the ultimate life-form. Shadow in his constant quest for power looks to build his stock on the mysterious golden power rings.

"I hate the snow." Shadow kept thinking. But it was the path that lead him this way. He had left from Knothole heading south into the rainforest, and then perused an active volcano, then scaled the rigid desert of Downunda, to finally make it to the Southern Tundra. Shadow stepped over a hill and observed the scene before him. He looked on with approval and even smirked a bit.

"Southern Tundra Act One." he thought. He threw off his cloak as and hid it inside his chaos energy. From there he barreled down a steep hill into a huge ramp. Shadow skated off the lip of the ramp and horizontally spun giving him greatest distance. Below was ice water, about mid level was a snowy path and up top was an ice path. Shadow's hover skates caught the ice way and off he blasted. Shadow ran the course, destroying ring capsules and fending off old robots left behind by the Robot overlord. Shadow pressed into a loop and was thrown high into the sky. Shadow saw what was ahead and curled into a ball. His speed and power slammed through a thicket of ice sheets into an icy tower. Shadow planted himself on the wall and tightly gripped best he could. Up above he saw the light of the day along with a huge rock of ice tipping over. Shadow glanced below and saw something even more menacing.

Water.

Shadow leapt without a thought on the opposite wall gathering floating rings as he did. Shadow got onto the wall and leapt again. He got a few more wall jumps in when the tower walls collapsed. Shadow bounded from ice rock to ice rock gaining more altitude in the process. He didn't know what would happen when he reached the top but if he found himself in a pinch he could his classic attribute.

Shadow saw it out the corner of his eye!

A red circular object with a white, yellow, and blue design on it. Shadow took a few more death defying leaps and homed in on the object. His powerful lock on the spring rejected him from the harm of the falling ice tower. Shadow soared through the air and noticed the spiral path he was heading towards. Shadow aligned his body and hit the spiral running. Momentum and gravity sent Shadow past his top speed while collecting rings all the way. Shadow could easily let momentum have its course until he hit the brakes. Ice and snow kicked up from his heels as he held onto the last of the downward ice spiral.

Water was at the end of the line.

Shadow surveyed his surroundings and saw a few ice pillars in cater-corner fashion. He leapt to each one with severe care and got to the last platform where a sign stood. Emblazoned on the sign was a worn old picture of the fat mans mug. Robotnik once used these signs to wirelessly control all of his badniks and with a simple dash by the sign could be turned off. The sign slowed to a stop displaying Shadow's picture. Shadow was only halfway through though. Another Act awaited him so he didn't dawdle.

Shadow collected rings and destroyed baddies while dashing through the stage at a suitable speed. Act two of Southern Tundra consisted of a mostly water and ice level - a hedgehog's delight. Despite the water, Shadow was able to surface run across most of the stage. Though he would never show it his fear was deep in his heart. Shadow made it to an ice bank and came upon an old rusted cell much like the ones from the past. Shadow popped the top on the bell-shaped cage and out came pressured steam. The lock busted free from the cell and then the walls collapsed open revealing a blue Chaos Emerald. These empowering jewels scattered after Hyper Sonic's latest appearance. The Super state of the gems faded as Knuckles released his hold on the Master Emerald and then search begins again. Knothole stated they would pursue the emeralds with leisure so Shadow took these opportunities to gather all of them. The first one was in his possession in a matter of a few weeks.

Shadow grabbed the Chaos Emerald and felt its power. It was actually kind of weak. Considerably from the last times Shadow held the gem, the power was just mediocre.

"That cursed Hedgehog drained the emeralds power..." Shadow thought.

He continued past the cell and noticed the high mountain on the right of him. He could make out the huge snow drifts and staggering rock formations but what stood out mostly was the black-stoned castle looming from the overhang. Shadow looked longingly at the massive palace. It had been a while since he had a comfortable living space and who knew when another blizzard would come. A Chaos Control could get him there in no time but he could miss rings along the way.

Shadow sighed. "And _he _collected a billion rings!" Shadow reached into his Chaos Energy and revealed the cloak and hood. He donned his attire and started up the mountain.

_Elsewhere, the delegates of Knothole prepare for their new King_

The crowd roared!

It sent huge waves of joy and glee as the crown nestled upon Elias Acorn's head. His auburn hair whisked against the solid gold and jeweled royal piece. Elias got up from one knee and shook Sir Charles hand. He turned to the Knotholan crowd and waved to his people. He then stood erect and bowed to the crowd – as if in servitude to them.

The crowd roared again.

Elias turned and smiled at his sister, confidently smiling behind alongside notable Freedom Fighters. Elias approached the podium and settled the crowd. The gangs of anthropomorphic animals seemed to follow suit after a few minutes. The front row of delegates stood clapping in approval except for Mammoth Mogul who just stood there looking menacing. Elias took a few moments to gain his composure. He bowed his head and took great breaths. He lifted his head and smiled to the crowd finally feeling comfortable.

"I am pleased to return to Knothole. These humble lands have cultivated a King, not of greed and power but one of concern and compassion for his people. I am honored to hear such a welcome return on one the most momentous occasions of my life."

The crowd settled for an applause and a few cheers.

"I promise to do everything I can for our land first and in the coming months we will become an Alliance with impervious Station Square and perseverant Angel Island. This marks a new course in history where the meek and humble will finally be rewarded with peace and stability. Where I come from, I'm sorry, where I have resided most of my life is a place filled with fear. Fear of not making enough money to feed your family, fear of becoming sick and falling to that illness, fear of the tyranny looming over each doomed head, and fear of not being able to make it another day. There in that place I became a leader and managed to up build those people to believe in something they haven't ever heard of.

"Hope! That is what I believed in and that is what I will still believe in. Knothole and the rest of the Free World Alliance will become a stronghold not only of military might but one for the most important things we cherish. Hope. Faith. And Charity. I am King Elias of the Acorn Ascendancy, proudly wearing the crown for my people."

The crowd roared with approving applause. Naysayers and disapproving ones would voice concerns later. Elias exhaled and stepped down from the podium as Princess Sally hugged him. Sonic looked over the sibling love and then to the crowd still going haywire over a new look of the regime. He glanced up and caught sight of a twinkling. It flashed among his eyes very brightly. Sonic then gripped his head in a rush of information. Audio and motion reels across his mind's eye when Sonic snaps to it.

"Everybody get down!" yells Sonic. He speeds and tackles Elias and Sally as a super-velocity bullet slams into the wood of the stage. Sonic, in a rush of adrenaline, picks up Elias and Sally and gets them to safety beyond the curtains and walls. The crowd below scrambles to exit as the Royal Guard swarm the stage.

Antoine directs his men. "The shot is coming from the upper balcony window."

The royal guard jackal added. "Master Prower was guarding the roof!"

Antoine signaled and in a flash the guardsmen were gone. Antoine stared up at the ceiling and went over all of the possible suspects of who could have done this.

"I am hoping Tails is okay."

"Me too." Sonic appeared. "I got Sally to safety, Elias too."

"I am knowing this. I was seeing you protect the future of Knothole and also your future of Knothole. But I am wondering who is being so brazen as to try and be killing our King?"

Sonic paused.

Antoine looked over to Sonic finally and noticed his uncontrollable shaking.

Sonic turned to leave. " There's no doubt about it, it's Nack the Weasel!"

Antoine nodded. "Makes sense. Don't worry Nack isn't going to get far."

Sonic clinched his fists. "I'm going to kill him... I'm. Gonna. Kill. Him."

**Hello and welcome back to Sonic 51. I'm sure you are wondering where I have been and I owe you explanation. I literally just stopped after the last arc and believe me, I tried. I came up with several different arcs to go off of but I didn't really feel it and it sat. Like, shelf life. Over the past few weeks I've been getting favorited and a review came in through my email from Supersonicfan1107 and it just clicked. I'm going to make this work. So humbly I return to the fans bringing you the same great blue blur. **


	32. Pop Goes the Weasel

Tails stood up, brushing off the dust from pants and chest.

Sonic watched him stand up.

"I was ambushed." Tails mildly stated. Unhappy about his most recent exploit he faced his former best friend.

"It was Nack the Weasel, or Fang the Sniper, whichever version it is..."

"Where is he?" Sonic bluntly asked. Fury and rage consumed him then a small orb bounced across the roof.

"Bad guys go boom boom!" yelled a distant voice. Sonic darted off along with Tails as the bomb exploded. Fire and smoke instantly covered the roof. Sonic and Tails landed on the ground facing the duo.

"Bean want to bean you with bomb bomb!" the little green bird sang.

Sonic broke from his anger and snickered a bit. "Stupid bird..."

Tails leapt forward and was slammed with a huge right arm. Tails rotated his appendages and caught balance to land smoothly across from Bark the Polar Bear. These two were great partners Bark's quiet brute strength and Bean the Dynamite's raw explosive nature. They all stood in a plus formation, each one raring to go.

"Who want boom boom first?" Bean laughed. Sonic and Tails nodded to each other.

"Now!" yelled Sonic. Tails leapt into Sonic's arms and was swung around to smash Bark with a huge kick. Tails was swung again and released into the air as Bean reeled up to throw at Sonic. The blue blur became his name and kicked the grenade high into the air. Haphazardly, he tripped a preset land mine and it launched up to eye level. By this time Sonic was thirty feet away as Tails catches and returns Beans original bomb. The explosion was brutal if either viewed from Sonic's vantage or Tails' eye in the sky. Smoke and fire cleared and the pair rejoined. Bark was down but returning to his feet.

"Is the entire Destructix is here?" Sonic asked.

"Yeah, and the only person who'd want to save Bean from an explosion would have to be Lightning Lynx." Tails spat.

Lightning and Bean appeared right next to Bark. Lightning Lynx was one of few who could possibly match Sonic's famous speed. He wore blue gloves and blue shoes with little blue shorts with lightning designs on them.

"Are you mad that I saved my comrade faster than you ever could!" Lightning shot back.

"Let's go! Race around the world! Right now!" Sonic shouted.

Bean yelled. "Yeah race around the world! Race around the world!"

"You're on!" Lightning blasted off as Sonic watched him go. True blue simply shook his head and smiled. As he left, Antoine and Bunnie showed up side by side with Tails.

"I'm gonna find Nack!" Sonic darted away from the battle. Sonic detoured for a bit but finds his way to the airfield and looks around to find the delegates choppers lifting into the air. The only thing left was the massive ride of Mammoth Mogul. Sonic went to turn to leave when Predator Hawk swooped in and kicked Sonic to the ground. Sonic endured three hug scratches on his arm as he rolled to the ground. Predator angled up and banked left ready for another run. Sonic stood up and smiled with a plan in mind.

"Predator! Good seein' ya! Pooped on anything lately!" Sonic joked.

Predator didn't say a word - his tell.

Sonic leapt up as Sergeant Simian smashed the ground. The bandana wearing gorilla drew back his fist from the ground as Predator landed next to him. The pair was another stem of the Destructix, Mammoth Mogul's team of mercenaries. Sergeant Simian was the strongest of anybody and even Knuckles struggles against this guy. Predator Hawk was the tactical mind behind the team and had strategy from every angle. Sonic just crouched and smiled.

"How's it goin' you guys? Long time no see."

"Sergeant, get ready!" Predator stated.

"Why should I?" he gruffly responded.

"Just follow my lead you big ape!"

"I'm a gorilla. You insult me!"

"Getting upset already Sasquatch? I haven't even laid into you yet!"

"Ignore him!" Predator yelled then turned to whisper. "We will flank him then use our secret weapon in the-"

Flying Frog fell to the floor.

He was knocked out, spread eagle, with tongue hanging beside his buck teeth. Then he started to flail like a fish out of water then zoomed across the pad into his teammates. Sonic nearly busted a gut as Cream appeared at his side.

"I didn't think you had the patience for theatrics." Sonic smiled.

"I didn't think I would be this bored." Cream added. "Get me a real fight next time."

"You got it Cream. I'm off to find Nack!" Sonic blasted away.

A little later he appeared at the Hall of Acorns alongside Nicole.

"So you did see him?" Sonic said semi-serious.

"Yes he was-" Nicole turned around. "Intruder."

A reddish-brown fox in a skin tight cat suit swung a massive kick right through Nicole. The moderator watched in sullen disappointment as Sonic swung a return kick right back at her. Fiona Fox hit the ground hard, rubbing her jaw in annoyance. Sonic paused and simply turned his head. No minor memory reel occurred with this newcomer.

"Who's this broad?" Sonic politely asked.

Fiona Fox got up and braced for battle yet again.

"My thoughts exactly pinhead." Fiona cackled.

"Wait you don't know who I am? I'm the fastest thing alive baby. Always have been always will be."

"Fine, then let's see how fast you die." Fiona leapt and kicked again as Sonic simply dodged out of the way right as Amy swung her huge Piko Piko hammer and clocked Fiona backwards. Fiona flipped and landed perfectly as she held her stomach. Sonic and Amy just sat there, on pause, soaking in each other's awkward presence.

"Amy."

"Sonic."

"Ugh the tension is so stale between you two, why don't you kiss and make up." Rouge suggested.

Sonic happily changed the subject. "Who are we dealing with here?"

"This is Fiona Fox, she tried to extract secrets from us in the time you were gone and hand them over to Mammoth." Rouge provided the intel.

"Also she and Tails used to date." added Amy.

"Disgruntled ex-girlfriend, I know the feeling." Sonic smiled.

Lightning Lynx appeared back onto the scene. "You tricked me!"

Amy dashed and readied her hammer with a huge empowered reel back. Lightning got mostly out of the way but the tip of the hammer slammed his ribcage.

Lightning Lynx slammed against a stone column, groaning while he got back up.

"I'm not the only fast hedgehog, Loser Lynx."

"We can handle things here, Blue, go find our perp." Rouge stated, sizing up Fiona Fox.

Sonic didn't waver. "Right! C'mon Nicole!"

Sonic sped off again with Nicole on his direct right. "We need to head northwest, that is where I gathered the last location of his vessel the Marvelous Queen."

Sonic turned on a dime and flashed away, kicking up dust and debris in the process.

_Tails, Antoine, and Bunnie face off against Bean and Bark_

"Boy haven't seen you two since the cows came home." Bunnie smiled.

"A fair weather reunion is what I am thinking." Antoine inched closer revealing his sword.

Bean and Bark readied as well, with Bark tightening up his gloves and Bean pulling bombs from his Chaos Energy.

"You two can handle things here!" Tails took flight, "I've got a score to settle."

Just like that, Tails took off leaving the married couple alone in the fight. However the two worked flawlessly together much like Bean and Bark. The mute Polar Bear dashed forward and grappled with Bunnie. As soon as their fists locked, Bark pulled away. A bomb was soaring right for Bunnie's torso.

Antoine caught it, twirled and returned the bomb in one smooth motion. Bean pathetically jumped and took horrible flight but manage to escape his blast.

"Split 'em up like last night's country fried steak." Bunnie commanded.

"I am agreeing." Antoine nodded. Antoine sheathed his sword and darted for Bean. He threw grenade after grenade as Antoine was slashing them apart. The grenades head was sliced off along with the triggering mechanism inside. Once Antoine expertly cut through them they would be rendered duds. Antoine slashed through the last of the grenades and closed in on Bean who was evilly smiling.

Antoine triggered a land mine.

How did he not notice? Bean flew to the same spot where he was when he faced Sonic. The land mine sprang up, while rotating in its last moments, and then quietly fell to the ground in pieces.

Bean fell to the ground in shock and amazement."Why you no go boom boom?"

Antoine sheathed his sword. "The hand is being quicker than the eye."

Bark crashed against the ground physically tired from the last skirmish with Sonic and Tails. Bunnie was also an excellent fighter alongside her limitless strength in her cybernetics. Antoine and Bunnie capture Bean and Bark.

_Cream takes on a gorilla, a goose, and a guppy_

Cream lay on her back looking up at the sky.

The sky was a brilliant blue for the afternoon sky. Her first thoughts were of her mother, how they would sit on the lawn and locate cloud creatures within the free forms. Not a day went by where she beg for her mother's presence but she knew there wasn't a way for her to return. So Cream laid there angry at the world, angry at her friends, and angry for anger's sake. To the core she was still a noble and sweet girl but appearances were in the process of deceiving.

Cream grew tired of the bright sun that appeared from the clouds so she wished for shade and received it. Sergeant Simian knocked heads with Predator Hawk and Flying Frog right above Cream the Rabbit. Cream was still angered to see their groggy faces one more time and flipped them over to bear the sun's rays. She then realized Predator Hawk could poop on her at any second so she tossed them out of sight. Cream stood up and brushed herself off.

"Fighting you guys is like watching paint dry." Cream started to walk off. " Later."

The gorilla rose from his hands as Predator locked onto Cream.

"No one treats the Sergeant like this! No one!" he yelled. He barreled for Cream as the lone rabbit faced her prey with a evil smile.

"Fly, go into hiding and flank her." Predator directed. "Sarge and I will try to distract her."

"Righty-O." he jumped back into the trees.

Predator ran in the blind spot beyond Sergeant Simian as Cream lifted her hands. She crouched and jumped high into the air as Flying Frog smashed into Sergeant Simian. Those two tumbled to a stop as Cream finally noticed Predator Hawk barreling towards her. She simply sighed and held up a hand. Predator Hawk slammed into an invisible wall and down he went. He landed on top of his mates with a broken jaw and cracked beak. These three were considered captured now.

Cream looked on to the sky again; her mother still fresh on her mind, possibly even watching over her. She smiled for the first time in a while, Controlled all three, and headed the way of the prison.

_Amy and Rouge team up against Fiona and Lightning._

"Hey stupid!" Amy called.

"Yeah?" Lightning answered.

"You wanna try me again?" Amy clutched her hammer for another assault.

Lightning felt his injury: Four broken ribs, internal bleeding, and a pierced lung. This battle was over before it even started.

Lightning fell into shock and slumped to his bottom. "I need a... hospital."

Rouge smirked and looked over her opponent, Fiona Fox.

"Listen darling we can go the easy route which I strongly suggest or the not so easy route which is a lot more fun actually."

"You'll never take me alive." Fiona replied.

"So let's kill her..." said Amy.

Rouge's eyes went wide as she glazed over Amy.

"I was kidding!" Amy laughed.

"If that's your brand of comedy then I'd hate to see your stand-up show."

Fiona inched and then just ran for it but failed to realize she had long been trapped in a octagon house. The walls were made from pure hardened Chaos Energy and were completely solid to someone like Fiona.

"I see you are martial artist." Rouge took a stance, "Let's see how you do in the octagon." Rouge leapt forward and kicked Fiona who blocked it. The fox threw a right hand, which was thrown back by Rouge's wing. The sexy agent spun and whipped her leg around to throw a powering kick. Fiona hit the ground and rolled but failed to realize Rouge's relentlessness. Fiona threw her hands up to block as the bat rained rapid kicks from the air. Rouge tired herself a bit and landed as Fiona swept her legs with a kick. Fiona grabbed Rouge's hair and picked her up. She reeled back a mighty left and threw it.

Fiona's hand shattered as a result.

Rouge opened her eyes and smiled. There was a crack in the forehead of the bat when more splits trailed throughout her body. Fiona gripped her hand as Rouge literally fell to pieces.

"A crystal clone..." Fiona sighed.

"Right you are foxy lady." Rouge appeared at the peak of the octagon. She slammed her hands on the crystal and it shrunk down and around Fiona encasing her in the clear pink gemstone.

"Should I give her air holes? Yes?" Rouge waved her hand. "See Amy that's a better grim joke than what you had. I see you still have a lot to learn from the master."

Amy smiled. "Let's just get them over to the jail."

_Meanwhile Sonic finally locates the infamous sniper_

Flying high above the plains in the motorized scooter was Nack the Weasel.

"Finally caught me, eh?" Nack squawked. He was an unusual one, like his entire demeanor was stuck from the old days when they used to swing dance, dress in pinstripe suits, and go to the speakeasy for an illegal beverage. Nack was plenty modern though, his rifle proved it. It was strapped tightly in a briefcase aboard his flying scooter entitled the Marvelous Queen. Down below the vehicle was an eager hedgehog matching his speed on the ground.

"Get down here Nack! We got a score to settle! Don't you run away from me!" Sonic yelled. Powerful as the blue blur was, flight was still an issue with him. Also in the environment he was in there was no way to catch a ramp in the flats before coming to the ocean. Nack set the Marvelous Queen to autopilot and undid the latches. In seconds, the rifle was back to splendor and steadily aiming downward to the spec running the flats.

"Meh see, the old' humdingers gonna get a hashin for his dashin!" Nack felt the trigger.

Lightning struck the Marvelous Queen! A savage and brutal strike sent the glorious queen tumbling toward the ground. Nack flipped the sniper rifle over his back and took control of the scooter himself.

"My da'lin, my gal, my dame!" Nack panicked. He gained control of the Marvelous Queen and focused on the sky above.

Clear blue overhead.

Nack turned and looked down. Sonic was gone, the hedgehog completely eradicated.

Nack checked the other side: Nope.

Nack checked his scooter: Nada.

Nack checked the sky: Big old fat goose egg.

"Well, grease my hair! Bout time natu'e sta'ted wo'kin fo' me! Nyuck, Nyuck, Nyuck!" the weasel laughed and hit the throttle. Then weight shifted on his scooter as Nack was thoroughly shocked. Sonic the Hedgehog landed on the front the scooter. Sonic grabbed the windshield with both hands and slowly flipped himself over like a gymnast and balanced himself in the air with legs spread out. Nack was paralyzed wondering if this grounded hedgehog suddenly got wings. Sonic enclosed his legs and his feet were centimeters away. Sonic spun his legs, hitting three-hundred miles an hour in less than a second. The kicks were so successive Nack barely registered it. The weasel's face hit the controls and the Marvelous Queen went into a downward spiral.

Tails was right behind the scooter flying leisurely with the six appendages he had grown. Sonic kicked Nack and out of the scooter he sailed. Tails caught the rag doll of a weasel and held him with one hand. Sonic nodded to Tails and then leapt from the doomed scooter. Sonic's body was always able to withstand tremendous drops and this time proved no different. His stringy body barely recoiled as he touched the plains. Tails landed next to him, setting the sniper down on the ground.

"We made a pretty good team, eh?" Sonic smiled.

Tails didn't make any eye contact.

"Let's get him to Knothole," Sonic continued, "maybe the Royal Guard can get some-"

"Sonic." Tails called."I've been doing a lot of thinking,"

Sonic faced the golden fox.

"What's up Tails?"

"I'm starting to come around to the fact that I used to look up to you."

"Starting?"

"Ever since you've returned you've been nothing but focused on Knothole, while I haven't been at all." Tails stood opposite of Sonic unashamed of his words. "I just keep thinking if I had killed Shadow we wouldn't have had enough time to stall Scourge and Knothole would be gone again. And without you who knows how things would have happened if Hyper Scourge didn't have a true battle. I understand what I said about the emeralds and it was wrong to threaten you with that kind of power. I still have things to work on and I know it will never be like it was but..."

"Dude..." Sonic smiled and simply held up his fist. Tails stared at Sonic and finally bumped his fists with him. "Brothers for life man."

Tails furrowed his brow as Sonic picked up Nack. "Things are going to be just like they were... don't worry about it. You comin'?"

Tails nodded.

Sonic gave a small wave and blasted away.

Tails clinched his fists and screamed with lightning blasting all around him.

"All this time and he still doesn't get it!" Tails thought. "I can't stand his blatant ignorance of everything! Everyone else is just the same..."

Tails sighed and started after Sonic the Hedgehog."I need a vacation."

_King Elias and Sally navigate the halls of Castle Acorn_

"Do you know how you're going to approach things?" asked Sally.

"Not really." Elias spat.

"He's a smooth talker, he can easily turn things around on us."

"I'm well aware of his vocabulary."

"I'm just saying brother!"

Elias stopped his dogged pursuit down the halls and faced his sister – Before he was dragging himself, hurried but sloppy in appearance. But now he stood erect, shoulders bold and brows furrowed.

"When I ask of your opinion then so shall it be valued." Elias stated. "I am King now and as such I will not be talked down to, do you understand me?"

"Yes, Elias."

The king cleared his throat.

"I mean your majesty!" Sally smugly replied. Although he had put her in check, she could still see her brother behind the crown. Sir Charles had worked wonders with this formerly timid squirrel. Elias continued his pursuit along with Sally until they made it to a holding room. There Mammoth Mogul sat indulging in a martini - the bars were not even open yet and the nearest alcohol establishment was on the other side of Knothole. One of the guards must have fallen prey to his words to have broken the rules and let a suspect have a drink. Still the thought passed as Sally entered and stood in the corner of the room. Elias entered and snatched his cape up before sitting across from Mammoth Mogul. The large wooly elephant picked up the martini again with his trunk and downed it before the hour-old king.

"Do you know who is behind the assassination attempt on my life?" the King asked.

"You're in such a rush you don't even have time to foreplay with it?" Mammoth smiled. "I see what kind of king you are."

"Answer the question."

"You know I came here with a pure heart to finally extend a few business ventures of my own as well as extend my political reach. The fact that my name is in mixed company with assassination of a Knothole king is so far... Beneath me."

"And the Destructix?"

"They are scum between my toes. Regrettably no, because the scum in _my _toes is actually worth something."

"Then why plan an elaborate assault? Why make the attempt on my life? Why come down to our level and mess things for us?"

Sally shook her head in the corner.

"It's good to know you're taking your job seriously Elias, I couldn't dream of Knothole having a slacker king in their midst. I wish you many more summers to frolic among the forest but as for me, I must be going, unless… you wish to accompany myself and my lawyer."

Elias heard the magic word: lawyer. Mammoth wasn't going to talk, and normally he would sing his plans. Elias stood up and headed for the door.

"We're going to interrogate your little team of lackeys."

"I suggest you start with Nack then, he's always been an easy one to buy. But it doesn't matter to me anyway. They've been off the payroll for years."

King Elias and Sally exited the holding room and proceeded down the hall.

Sally never said anything but he could have handled that a lot more gracefully. If she were Queen she would have gotten him to squeal, but her time had passed. Sally would talk to Elias about this but not now when he would be kicking his own self.

They made their way to Freedom HQ, a bunker deep below the Hall of Acorns, which Sally had built in the six months past. This was a place where the Freedom Fighters would meet for missions and examine evidence for their objectives. The underground base was filled with equipment, labs, and a sultry lounge for enjoyment. Sally, Nicole, and Elias gathered in the Mission Room before the large screen and hailed the President of Station Square.

"It is good to see living, energized, and refreshed after that recent ordeal. I am elated, no, thrilled to be in contact with you." Lionel Tower stated. He was sitting in a luxurious chopper most likely headed back to Station Square.

"Yes we're just as thrilled that you were able to leave so quickly." Elias said with a whole-hearted attitude. "But of course that is out of your control, I assume."

Lionel sat back in his plush leather chair. "Elias, I just received a call from the senators in charge of the Free World Alliance and they are angered, irate, and rather heated. They are unsure, no, resistant to the idea of an alliance now."

"Unbelievable!" Sally shouted. "You can't just-"

Elias held up his hand much more calmly than Sally did. "I need an explanation then."

"The assassination attempt was careless, foreboding, and irresponsible and I am derailed, no, ashamed about the situation. If we cannot put our trust, faith, and hope into one-third of the alliances security then we will fall, no, crumble in the near future. What should happen if Robotnik were to return?"

"He isn't coming back!" Elias gnashed through clinched teeth. "I feel that your making a tremendous mistake. Knothole City is much more than what you saw here today."

"I believe your words Elias, I really do. They are strong, empowered, and heart-warming and they have lifted, no elevated my resolve but we need a guarantee from you. Pending you can manage your end of the bargain and relieve all of your intel to Station Square while also settling the dispute of the your assassin, then Station Square and also Angel Island will return you military might and natural resources."

Sally was shaking in anger.

Who were they to dangle such precious things above their heads? Was the alliance that much of a deal? Sally walked out the room too involved in her rash thinking and blistering anger. Elias stayed focused holding his fury in with an irritated demeanor.

"We will talk later." Elias started. "I will need some time to think about things."

"You know how to reach me."President Lionel Tower waved. "Our conversation was regal, resounding, and-"

Elias shut off the video feed. He couldn't take another romp of synonyms from that idiot of a president. Elias could feel things weighing down on him. In just half a day the resources they begged on were in arms reach. Knothole needed the natural resources of Angel Island for medicinal care and food. Knothole suffered damages in the last attack and barely recovered from the one before that. Maybe they could avoid all of this destruction with the hand of military but Station Square was adamant in their resolve.

They would have to follow suit.

Elias stepped in the lounge while Sally sat on edge of the couch with clinched fists. She looked to him and then turned away.

"I will consult with my advisors in due time, however we will act in haste!"

Sally turned to Elias. "What are you suggesting?"

Elias stuck out his chest. "Assemble the Freedom Fighters, I have a mission for them."


	33. Sonic Adventure 3

It was the evening of the King's Coronation

Jules and Bernadette Hedgehog had finished their meal with their son Sonic the Hedgehog. The two roboticized parents were taking plates from the table as Sonic sat back with a full stomach and scratching his dogs head. Muttski's robotic touch sensors were lulled with each stroke on his head. Sonic never dwelled much on the fact that his family was roboticized but focused on the fact they were still around, living with their free will.

Jules and Charles were beyond genius when they put their minds together and it worked to produce Knotholes King Elias. Bernadette immersed herself in the teaching program, managing children's education for the next generation. The Hedgehog family was dedicated to Knothole in all facets, as Sonic, the hero of Knothole, had become this city's physical form of hope. And now there was a new generation of hope in the form of grandchildren. Sonia sped in first, holding up a perfectly correct algebra problem.

"Sonic look!" she nudged him. Sonic turned his head. The turkey dinner always filled his belly better than sixteen chilidogs ever could. A nice nap was about to set in before his daughter beckoned.

"Sonia, what's up my leading lady?"

"Math!" she yelled. "Isn't it amazing!"

"That's more your mothers department, Sonia."

"What about English?"

Sonic shook his head.

"Geography. History. Reading in general?"

"That's all Sally..." Sonic smiled. "I'm more of the free thinker you know."

"A race around the world Sonic!" Manic yelled. Sonic leapt out his chair, crouched and got ready.

Sonic recited. "Up! Over! And-"

"No you don't!" Bernadette sternly shouted. "You two have already burned up your share of carpets and rugs."

"Dad!" Manic and Sonic complained.

"Listen to your mother, er, grandmother too." Jules said loudly, finally settling down to reading the paper.

Sonia just shook her head. "Ugh boys..."

The door swung open and then closed.

"Sally!" the kids ran to their mother effectively catching the rug on fire. They hug their mother and hold tightly onto her booted legs. Sally grabs the fire extinguisher and puts out the rug.

"We owe you another rug Bernie!" Sally smirked.

"I'll put it on my tab." she said walking in. She hugged Sally and then patted her on the cheek. "How're ya doin' sweety?"

"I'm okay, thanks Mom." Sally smiled.

"That's good then I guess. Jules did you say hi to Sally!

Jules barely looked up from the paper and gave a quick wave.

"Are you hungry?" Bernie led Sally into the dining room. "I got you some leftovers."

"That'd be great actually but can I get them to go? C'mon Sonic, we have a mission."

"But I'm doin' the father thing!" Sonic sped to his girlfriend.

"It's really important Sonic," Sally nodded, "King Elias gave it a priority one."

"Truthfully, I don't care if it's priority twenty-nine... But I'm pretty sure it's about his assassin today huh?"

Sally just nodded.

Sonic smiled and turned to his dad. "Hey pops you think you can watch them for a couple more days?"

Jules was about to give a positive response when Bernadette stormed from the kitchen wagging a spoon. "Oh no! They've been too much trouble already. Yesterday I just about rusted when they found the house's water main. I think you need to find a sitter!"

Sally laughed and touched Bernie on the shoulder. " It's okay, we've prepared for, well I've prepared for them to go see Rosie, for the time being."

Bernadette smiled. "That's a wonderful idea."

"Yeah it is a good idea... Glad you thought of it, cause they would have been hanging out here." Sonic rubbed the underside of his nose and tapped his foot.

Manic did likewise underneath his father as Sonia approached her mother.

"I found out Sonic doesn't like math today..."

"Your father didn't do well in any subject sweetie." Sally hugged her daughter. "Bernie please just one more night and we'll get them in the morning."

"No!" Bernadette said.

"They can stay, what's one more night?" Jules said looking over his paper. "I was done reading ten minutes ago."

"The old man reads fast and I just go fast." Sonic brushed himself off.

"Bye kids, see you in the morning!" Sally kissed and hugged her offspring. Sonic hugged his little ones tightly. "Yeah we'll try the race around the world some other time. Bye guys!"

Sonic and Sally left his parents home and were on their way to the outer wall.

"I don't understand what the big deal is Sal, we've been on plenty of missions before."

"No! _You've_ been on plenty of missions!" Sally tried to walk a little faster.

Sonic sped in front of her. " Uh, say what?"

"Sonic, this is my first mission back since Dr. Robotnik's Project: Endgame."

"Oh!"

"Yeah."

"So this is a big deal, then?"

Sally smiled as Sonic hugged her tightly.

"Listen Sal, everything's gonna work out. I won't let _anybody _lay a finger on you."

"I trust you, Sonic Hedgehog!"

Sally kisses Sonic.

"But you better not try and hold me back!"

Sally reaches the wall and searches. "Nicole, it's me!

A hatch opens up a few feet away as Sally and Sonic enter into the elevator. They zoom down to Freedom HQ from one of many chute tubes scattered around Knothole. Sonic and Sally were late, naturally, but didn't miss a thing at all.

"It wouldn't be a normal Freedom Fighter meeting if Sonic the Hedgehog wasn't late." Rouge smiled. "You know now that you are officially off the market and fathering children I find you a little sexier."

Sally just stared at Rouge.

"I'm sure you notice it too Princess." Rouge continued, obviously irritating the situation. Julie-Su wanted to spit on the bat but at least she wasn't talking about her man for a change. The others sat at a round table with a few standing like Knuckles, Tails, and Antoine. Most of the ladies were seated as Sonic took his spot at the table.

Sally nudged him. "Being a gentleman wouldn't kill you!" Sally pushed his head.

"Yeah, it might put me in another coma!" Sonic smiled. Sally folded her arms as Sonic voluntarily got out from the chair and stood next to the red machine, Knuckles.

"What's up Knux." Sonic leaned on the back of Sally's chair.

"You're about to find out." Knuckles nodded.

Elias emerged from the Mission Room and snatched on his cape. Cream and Amy finished their conversation, Rotor awoke from his small nap, and Antoine and Bunnie finally stopped cuddling.

"I want to welcome you all the first meeting under my ruling and I am pleased you could take time from your schedules to be here tonight at this-"

"Hurry up fur ball I ain't got all night." Cream pleasantly stated.

He nearly snapped as Sally caught his attention. She just shook her head, letting him know Cream was a different mission for a different time. Elias cleared his throat.

"As you all know there was an attempt on my life earlier this morning and Station Square is less than pleased about it." Elias started. "They plainly stated to freeze our benefits lest we clear our name and relieve, not some, but all of our intel to Station Square. Knothole, of course, is in a deficit and in dire need of those supplies. King Knuckles and Queen Julie-Su have agreed to do some under the table smuggling but I turned it down... I don't want my first acts as king to be a black market dealing."

"Goody two shoes." Julie-Su smiled.

Elias brushed off the light-hearted comment. "Still the direness of the situation is surmounting. Which is why I've gathered you all here. You're going to find out who sullied our reputation and suspect number one is Mammoth Mogul. As you all know Mammoth was a user in the Order of Ixis. As a matter of fact he lead it for a number of years. His immortality alone makes him tricky and his command of Chaos Energy is on par with Shadow and Sonic here. He has settled down in the last ten years but runs casino and night club establishments to most likely cover up his illegitimacy."

Cream started snoring.

Rouge lifted her hand.

"Mammoth Mogul is a true despot and oh uh, Rouge-"

"Sorry your highness but I'm afraid I can't come this time... Ha! Never said that before..." Rouge smirked.

"What do you mean?" asked Amy.

"Mammoth Mogul is a prominent member of Station Square; he funded the city's involvement in arranging the alliance. By spying on him I commit treason to Station Square. Not to mention I was told not to go on any missions handed from the Knotholan Kingdom."

"Ugh... So why are you here?" Cream interrogated.

"I was told to spy on you." Rouge propped her feet up.

"As blunt as it is we're in the same situation too." Julie-Su explained. "Station Square said they would break any agreement if Knuckles or myself were to join you in missions."

"They really said that!" Knuckles flew off the handle. "Unbelievable! I have half a mind to go over there burn it all to a crisp."

"You've always had half a mind." Sonic smirked.

"You wanna go hedgehog!" Knuckles butted his fists.

"Any time, any place, chum-p."

"Tomorrow, three o'clock, playground. Be there."

Elias shook his head, where had he lost his hold on the meeting.

"You're losing them." Sally calmly leaned in towards the king.

King Elias inhaled and then slammed his hands on the table. "Alright listen you ingrates! The mission is a reconnaissance and spy operation performed on the activities of Mammoth Mogul. I want to know everything from business ledgers to how long he spent on the toilet. Operatives are as follows: Sonic, Tails, Cream on team one. Rotor, Antoine, and Bunnie on team two. Sally you will be team leader coordinating each three-man cell on this mission."

"Umm..." Antoine raised his hand, "I am afraid myself and Bunnie are not being able to participate in this mission. I am being so sorry."

Elias just sighed. "What now?"

"Well the polecat's almost out the bag now darlin'." Bunnie smiled and nodded.

Antoine nearly reverted to his old cowardly self but stood firm. "Bunnie and I are going to be parents soon."

"Bunnie! Congratulations! Well I'll be a monkeys uncle!" were some of the multiple exclamations.

Sonic sped over to Antoine. "Welcome to the father's club man."

"I am understanding we meet on Tuesday's, correct?" Antoine smiled.

"Well this is just fine." Elias shook his head.

"Although, I am not participating of the field work, I will still perform my duties as Royal Guard and protect you."

"That's actually a great solution." Sally nodded. "I'd feel safer with him by your side Elias."

Elias rolled his eyes. "Anyone else not going to be able to make it?"

"I've got a few back problems, can I stay?" Rotor unenthusiastically chimed in.

Sonic laughed as Elias buried his head in his shoulders. "So the team is Sonic, Tails, Amy, Cream, Rotor and Sally."

"A sixth man?" Tails shook his head. "Pfft! oh well..."

"What's wrong with that?" asked Amy.

"We're going to be a huge crowd going in there." Tails stated. "Leaving Rotor behind would be the better choice. His equipment is loud and unruly not to mention he _was _telling the truth about his injuries."

"You all know the scope of the mission. I don't care. Just come back with results."

"Sweet. That actually worked." Rotor stood up and headed for the door.

"Anymore pop-ups I should know about?" Elias asked.

Rouge raised her hand. "I have a chopper coming to pick me up tomorrow, the five can ride with me to Station Square."

"I guess that's a bit of good news." Elias smiled. " No more concerns then I guess we'll-"

"What about Shadow?" asked Amy. "What if we run into him?"

"I can answer that." Sonic smirked. "He's on his quest to find a billion rings, I highly doubt we'll get into things with him."

Amy didn't like to hear his voice at all but Shadow has been gone a long time. The Freedom Fighter adjourned and went their separate ways back home for a night's rest. By the time morning came Nicole awoke Sonic and Sally - in different locations - to let them know Rosie had arrived. Sonic picked up Sally and they headed to the airfield where a small transport waited.

"Rosie!" Sonic and Sally shared their sentiments.

"Oh my look how you've grown!" she smiled. The old woodchuck still wore her trademark red cape and hood while wearing a sweater and slacks. After the three hugged Sonia and Manic peeked from behind their parents.

"And who might these little ones be?"

"I'm Manic, fastest thing alive!"

"Also the dumbest, hi I'm Sonia!"

Rosie's heart just about melted. She grabbed their hands and they stood beside her.

"I'm going to miss you two... But Rosie is going to spoil you with lots of love and care." Sally hugged her children.

"And also candy!" Sonic knelt down to hug his own too.

"We love you, be good, be safe." Sally kissed them.

"Bye bye!" Sonic kissed his kids.

"You two are wonderful parents." Rosie smiled. "These two are going to make perfect company for Lara-Su."

"Lara-Su?" asked Sally. "Who is that?"

"Oops I've said too much." Rosie bit her lip.

"You can stand to say a little more." Sonic scratched his head. "Wait! There's no way that's Julie-Su's... daughter..."

Rosie lost it. "Knuckles and Julie-Su's daughter to be correct."

"What?" Sally and Sonic flipped out.

"How did they keep this a secret? How old is she?" Sally asked.

"Just turned three I believe." Rosie smiled. "Hopefully you'll keep it a better secret than I did."

"Don't worry... we won't tell anybody... Hahaha!" Sonic evilly smiled.

"Come now children." Rosie walked them back to the transport and they took one last look.

"Bye Sonic and Sally!" the kids screamed.

"Sonic and Sally? Oh we're going to have to change that." Rosie shook her head.

The transport was gone and so were the Freedom Fighters. After the children left so too did the Freedom Fighters depart. Rouge and the other five were escorted to Station Square by way of G.U.N. helicopter. Aside from Rogue's flirting with Sonic and some dry conversation, it was an uneventful trip. They landed in a military airport where Rouge had personally escorted them off the base. Rouge promised to check up on them and in turn left a communicator with Sally. From there the Freedom Fighters would start their mission and locate Mammoth Mogul to gather intel. Station Square was a vast city and many commuters would travel by train. Although Sally and the others didn't mind another vehicle, Sonic got itchy. He got aboard the subway anyway and managed his need for speed. The train was filled with all types of animals - most of which were wearing headphones or reading the paper or too busy losing themselves in the provided scenery upon the train windows.

The ride was a good length with many stops along the way. They stopped at the Empire District where most of the building were, a trading center from wares to wardrobe, and plenty of residential districts. The city life was much different from the back home living in Knothole. They all felt a little out of place come to think of it. The people here wore suits and full body clothing while Sonic and Tails wore no shirt while Sally wore a barely there tube top. Amy and Cream fit the profile of a city slicker with their comfortable dresses. Station Square, in one way or another, was always trying to one-up Knothole. The train reached its destination and out stepped the Freedom Fighters.

"Here we are Casinopolis." Sally smiled. "Ready to start our mission guys?"

"I gotta admit, Sally, I'm honored to be here with you on your very first mission." Amy clasped her hands.

"I've been on missions ever since I can remember, Amy." Sally defended. "I helped take back citizens of Mobotropolis!"

"That's a good lie... I gotta use that sometime." Cream bumped through the crowds of people. "C'mon we're losing daylight."

Sonic shrugged and followed Cream's harsh lead.

Sally didn't like for Sonic to come to her defense but she stood proud. She didn't have anything to prove to the younglings and newcomers however it didn't mean she wouldn't prove anything. Sally continued with her team unlocking her personal device.

"Nicole, I need a schematic of the city's infrastructure." Sally commanded. "A list of all the property Mammoth Mogul owns, a list of his employees, criminal records for the latter, associates in the area, and recent public business ventures."

Sonic just smiled. "This is gonna be cake."

Sally touched away on her techno-device labeled Lynx 2.0

The Freedom Fighters toured the near endless casino strips and roamed the interiors of multiple casino's. They had arrived late afternoon in Station Square and by the time, they reached Casinopolis it was a full-blown nighttime crowd. Another hour and most of the young tourists would leave and the high-rolling club-hopping sort would come out. Sally constructed a wonderful plan around the information Nicole quickly gathered.

"Mammoth Mogul can usually be seen in one of five clubs on a daily routine, but after that he disappears. We need to know where he goes so we can effectively do our job. We can shake down information from patrons and employees there."

"And maybe later we can go catch a couple roller coasters at Twinkle Park." Amy suggested. Memories of her time strolling through the theme park rushed through her. Although she was being chased by Zero she never got a chance to go back.

"We're here on business kid, pay attention." Sally nodded.

"Sonic will go to the Vogue, Amy to the Last Chance Bar, Tails: The Purple Mush Room, Cream: BINGO Highway, and I will coordinate from the Night Babylon district."

Sally handed them each ear buds and tested them out.

"Past cool Sal." Sonic gave a thumbs up.

Sally nodded. "Okay! Meet you at the usual! If anybody's late, jam back to Knothole. Check?"

"Check!" Sonic smirked. "I see I'm rubbing off quite nicely on you."

"Yeah it's infectious." Tails stated before running off.

The Freedom Fighters split up all around Casinopolis. The crowds were thinned with most of the people inside establishments getting drunk and dancing. Sonic kept his speed to a minimum as he tracked down the Vogue. Despite it's odd name it was not a gay bar and was actually a decent setup. Neon lights rounded the huge balcony with multiple disco balls hanging down from the ceiling. Lasers and roaming lights gave the atmosphere of space as animals shuffled on the dance floor. Multiple were surrounding the bar squeaking out drinks. Sonic stepped in the place and smiled. Immediately and without question he quickly entered the VIP area and sat down. The bouncers guarding the area noticed the shift of the velvet rope and looked back. True Blue just lounged there.

"Yeah lemme get a crown and coke." Sonic ordered. The bouncer tried to grab him but obtained the pillow of the couch. "Or maybe something with vodka..."

Sonic eyed the second bouncer as he posted on the arm of the couch. The other bouncer dove and flipped himself over. The pumping background music gave life to the dullness of these guys' effort.

Sonic just smiled. "I need to talk to the guy in charge, I think I got something he's interested in."

The Blue Hedgehog was immediately escorted to upper room of the club. From here it was like a solid luxurious business. The music couldn't even be heard and the atmosphere encouraged deal-making. Sonic sat opposite a brown desk with a boar in the luxury chair.

"He said he wanted to talk to you, boss." said the bouncer.

"Sonic the Hedgehog." the boar seethed. "Leave us!"

The bouncers exited as Sonic slouched in the comfy chair. "What do you want? I have the right of mind to call Mogul and-"

"Ah ah ah! That's who I'm here to talk to you about!" Sonic waved his finger.

"What do you know about Mammoth that I don't?"

"What's your name man?"

"William..."

"No last name or title? Whatever, look Will... I just came from the Purple Mush Room and I gotta say man, you're gettin' screwed!"

"What would a back-country porcupine know about the city life?"

"I've saved the world many times Will, and I know what needs savin'... This bar needs savin' buddy."

"...you think?"

"How much is Mammoth putting into this club? One-million? Two-million?"

"...Ten-thousand and he gave me his car..."

"And what is Mammoth doing right now?"

"He's probably spending it at the Bottom of the Barrel... That's my money!"

Sonic stood up and touched his ears. "I've got a location, Sal, Bottom of the Barrel."

"Nicely done. I'm checking into it now."

Will stood up. "Security!"

Casinopolis rocked with a huge tremor!

Sonic, Will and assorted knickknacks were thrown from their base. Sonic stood up and felt his head. The shock hit him but he'd felt worse before.

"An earthquake? No..." Sonic jumped to the window and looked out. "An explosion..."

Sonic was about a mile away looking down the street to the remains of Twinkle Park, the former amusement park for couples. Now it was a decrepit charred remains of mangled steel and wood.

"There were people at that park!" Sonic thought.

"Sonic are you okay!" Sally chimed in his earbud.

"I'm fine! I'm heading to the explosion now!"

"Sonic No! That is not our concern!"

"Sally there were people in there! It might be some survivors or children, I don't know but I gotta help somehow!"

Sonic ripped out his earbud and threw it aside. He blasted off to the wreckage at top speed. All Sally could do was yell in frustration. But she got her composure and radioed the others.

"Cream, Tails, Amy, whatever you do stay out of the way of Station Square guards. Mission continuality is our priority."

"What about Sonic?" Tails asked.

Sally gashed. "Leave him to me!"


	34. Unlikely Shades

Shadow barely made it to the level of the snowy mountain.

The onyx castle was a complete standout from the white backdrop of the Southern Tundra. The plain before the castle was huge and flat with snow. Shadow's cape and hood flapped a bit in the low breeze as he watched for predators. Shadow took a step and nearly fell down again. Water in all forms never pleased any hedgehog but Shadow was determined. He spoiled himself living in village and city life for the past few years so Shadow bullheaded and proud walked straight for the castle and a beast emerged underneath Shadow's feet.

Instantly the cape and hood vanished into Chaos Energy and Shadow jumped from the head of the massive creature. It took a glance to figure out what was attacking him.

A snowman in the most abominable form.

He clawed forward and Shadow started to dash. Snow flurried all around him and he went nowhere. The yeti slashed and kicked up tons of snow. Shadow was on the other side panting from his reenter. Chaos Control save him yet again but the toll was too great in this weather. He'd only have a few more of those left in him before he'd draw his ace. The yeti turned around and ran for his enemy again.

Shadow leapt a bit and started his run that way. He drew in close to the beast and threw a fist. The yeti barely recoiled and plucked Shadow from mid-air. The yeti slammed Shadow from right to left and then stuck him into the ground.

"Chaos Blast!" thought Shadow.

Snow and ice propelled from the epicenter Shadow created. The air rippled and Chaos Energy disrupted everything around him. Shadow landed on tightly packed snow in sheer disbelief. The yeti grabbed him again, unfazed by the output and slammed him into the cement-hardened snow. Shadow couldn't see straight, this journey had been too much for him. To think of all the big names and formidable opponents he went through, he squashed with ease, he would lose to a nameless snow Sasquatch on this lifeless mountain.

"Eddy!" a voice sounded.

The yeti didn't let up. He raised his hands like giant clubs and slammed down. The snow and ice was thrown up from the massive display of power. Blood was on the yeti's hands as he looked for a body among the debris.

"Eddy!" the voice called again. "That's enough."

Shadow was on his knees, head bruised and bleeding right next to the man. The hedgehog collapsed and the man rushed to his aid. Shadow opened his eyes and observed who his savior was.

An Overlander! Brown skin, white hair, a lab coat and the rest was blurry.

Shadow blacked out.

"C'mon now Eddy, let's get ready to make your apology."

Eddy slumped and followed his master. The overlander picked up Shadow and headed to the onyx castle.

_Shadow was resting in quaint quarters of the regal castle_

The black hedgehog awoke.

His head throbbing from pain, and his body aching all over. Still, he was thankfully to be warm and among a bed - he thought himself spoiled for the time being. He felt the bandage on his head and grew anxious. Where was the one who did this? Shadow would want revenge, and in a few days, he would be up to full speed. Nevertheless, for now some food would help. The door opened and in came the overlander. Shadow could have sworn he dreamt about this one but perhaps he was really a survivor.

"Your heartbeat sped up when you awoke, I was monitoring your vitals in the other room." he set down a tray of food. "I figure you could use some precious privacy."

"Who are you?" Shadow tersely stated.

The overlander stared at Shadow blankly.

"I am..."

The door cracked open and the yeti poked his large head in.

"You!" Shadow erupted, enduring the grimacing pain.

"Not yet Eddy, give him time..."

Shadow watched his oppressor duck from the door as the man sighed.

"Eddy was only doing his job; he means well but can lose control at times."

Shadow still wasn't satisfied.

"We've been together for a number of years, in self-imposed exile actually..." he handed Shadow the tray of chili dogs and soda to the ebony hedgehog. "I assume you like chili dogs as well, the other one wouldn't stop talking about them."

The man smiled as Shadow was still in the dark about who he was.

"Dr. Nate Morgan, Court Scientist for the Mobotropian Dynasty."

Shadow's intensity became palpable as he sprang from the bed. Shadow had a terrible history with doctors. Dr. Gerald Robotnik and Black Doom conceived this mutation of a hedgehog while Dr. Robotnik exploited his talents. But Nate seemed different; the smile for one thing was completely genuine. Shadow still continued to stand opposite.

"Mobotropolis?" Shadow questioned. "You've been in exile for over twenty years."

"And you're the first visitor in almost seven." Nate folded his arms. "I suppose you're a long lost brother to Sonic the Hedgehog."

A million miles away and Sonic is still the hot topic of the world.

"Sonic and I are in no way Kin." he refuted.

"But you are hedgehogs! One of many fauna who were close when the Xorda first invaded so long ago. Chaos Energy has always been abundant in your species."

"You are very knowledgeable doctor." Shadow folded his arms.

"Something has to keep me occupied out here in the Southern Tundra. I've become _the_ leading expert in Chaos Energy and Power Ring Signatures, so much that I was able to examine yours without equipment. The only other person I've known with that kind of abundance is Sonic the Hedgehog, which is why I asked."

"I am close." Shadow smiled.

"I was going to pry on your objective, what brings you here to quarrel with my guardian and nearly lose your life."

"Definition." Shadow summarized. "I need to prove I am the ultimate life form and to do that I must obtain a total one billion rings."

Nate Morgan frowned. "Come with me."

Shadow nodded and started behind Morgan. Nate exited the room while Shadow ran back and grabbed two, then three chili dogs and scarfed them down. Shadow and Nate walked a huge hall filled with grey stone and old banners. The castle halls were drafty but more comfortable than outside. Nate lead Shadow to the catacombs were equipment and machines laced the huge basement. There were rings spinning in large containment units and monitors everywhere. Nate flipped a few toggle switches and the lab came alive. Shadow wasn't that impressed as Nate turned to face him.

"Being in contact with Power Rings for over thirty years has granted me a small amount of Chaos Energy. Minuscule to you or Sonic's but I have managed to come to a greater understanding now that I am a part of the Chaos Energy. The milestones of Power Rings are an extra extension of Chaos Energy at one-hundred rings, and a much larger denser collection of energy if one collects fifty rings while in possession of a Chaos Energy."

"What we call extra lives and continues..." Shadow realized.

"Precisely. But after that no other milestone comes close other than the possession of one-billion rings."

"Which is why I am struggling with the quest."

"Please do not judge me but I analyzed your Chaos Energy in the time you were unconscious and I must say yours has the density of titanium. Tell me how many times have you collected the emeralds?"

Shadow shook his head. "I'm not sure... Too many times..." Shadow revealed the Chaos Emerald from his energy and held it in his hand.

Nate turned up his face. "Where did you get that?"

"I found it on the way here." Shadow almost put it away.

"Wait let me see that!" Nate held the gem with care and then tossed it up and down.

"Someone forged a nice imitation." Nate tossed it to Shadow.

"Excuse me!"

"It's a fake." Nate didn't bat an eye. "It has the same wavelength and properties but it's just not the real thing."

"I realize I never sensed this emerald... Who dares trick the ultimate life form?"

"I'm not sure. A fake emerald hasn't crossed my mind ever and I lead it's field. It would take a sick person to emulate a precious gem."

"I'm going to find out who did this."

"A good goal deserves praise but for now rest and relax, you've barely caught your strength as it is."

Shadow couldn't argue with that. He finally turned around to see Eddy hugging a corner in fear of Shadow. The black hedgehog faced the yeti and grew angered. Then he dropped his vengeance and approached the big yeti.

"Isn't there something you want to say to me?" Shadow folded his arms.

"...sorry." he said.

"That's better." Shadow nodded. "You will restore a balance in this partnership by fetching me some more chili dogs, do you understand?"

Eddy grinned and slapped Shadow on the shoulder just before running. The cheery yeti ran upstairs happy to have a new friend. Shadow just writhed in pain as Nate helped him up.

"You will have to excuse Eddy, he still doesn't know his strength." Nate stated. "In order to save his life I had to implant him with cybernetic parts."

Shadow turned around as Nate cleared his throat.

"Shadow I want to open you my castle to you as well as any answers you may require."

"Appreciated. Although I do not have any questions."

"Then I have questions."

Shadow stared at him for a bit then nodded slowly.

"I'm wondering about the resistance, the Freedom Fighters, how are they faring against Robotnik's forces?"

Shadow sighs. Another hot topic that won't die.

"The Freedom Fighters are currently getting ready to announce their King and settle in a Free World Alliance with Station Square and Angel Island."

"What of Robotnik?"

"The good doctor is dead!" Shadow shook his head. "He hasn't been spotted in over six years."

Nate took off is glasses slowly. "Julian is dead? This is astounding! What of his lackey nephew, Snively?"

"He had family?"

"This is good news, Shadow, a celebration is in order."

"From what I understand Dr. Robotnik is responsible for the pollution correct?"

Nate shoved his glasses back on. "How do you not know? No one can be-"

"I was released after Dr. Robotnik was killed."

Nate directed Shadow to follow. "I am allowing you to stay Shadow the Hedgehog but it is required for you to know your history."

"Dr. Morgan you are patient and stubborn, qualities I find annoying..." Shadow brushed past the scientist heading upstairs, "But you make a good case."

From there Shadow, Eddy and Nate Morgan spent a number of days together within the castle. Eddy apologized to Shadow every chance he got and Nate came up with questions in the mean time. Shadow's wounds healed slowly and his knowledge of the Chaos Energy substantially increased. He started to understand more about his place on Mobius and forces with it. Nate pried for questions at occasional times and each time Shadow denied them. Nate, through Shadow, had been caught up to speed with recent events. The latest travel between the worlds was something Nate had done years before their time.

Shadow's wounds had healed and he felt healthy enough to Chaos Control from the wretched tundra. Shadow Nate and Eddy became respected friends in their days together. The time Shadow spent with Nate and Eddy, growing to a deep friendship, Knothole struggled with problems of their own. Shadow was unbeknownst to the dealings but was actually eager to return to civilization. Shadow would continue his quest for the rings and finding any emeralds - real or fake. Shadow donned his cape and hood and stepped for the door. Nate and Eddy stood at the foyer ready to let their friend go.

"Remember what we talked about Shadow." Nate nodded.

Shadow nodded. "Doctor I have a question for you."

Nate shoved his hands in his pockets and tilted his head down as if to say try me.

"How long you intend to remain in self-imposed exile?"

Nate sighed. "With Julian's death still unconfirmed I can't take a risk of having my knowledge extracted and used against the allies I wish to protect. I chose this location because of the dense cloud coverage and the high locations. It would take a naked eye to find this castle."

"Still, I do not wish for you to be here and have harm come to you. I will return periodically to make sure you are unharmed."

"If you wanted to come back and visit all you had to do was say so."

Shadow gave a small chuckle. "You know me too well doctor." He walked up to Eddy and patted him on the arm.

"Eddy will miss Shadow!" the yeti nearly burst in tears.

"My return will be soon." Shadow turned from the big lunk and faced Nate.

"Sayonara, Shadow the Hedgehog."

"Farewell Nathan." Shadow opened the door, letting the snow rush in from the impending blizzard."I wish for you to consider moving to Knothole. The travel for me will be greatly reduced if you should act on the suggestion."

"Circumventing again?" Nate shook his head. Shadow showed a small smile and exited the castle. The big doors clinked and Shadow faced the falling powder and accessed his Chaos Energy. It swirled all around him when he had enough power to perform such a drastic warp.

"Chaos Control!" he yelled. Lime energy came to life around him and soon as it appeared he vanished with it. The tundra was lifeless again. Nate and Eddy sighed, having let go their entertainment for the past several days. Nate patted Eddy on the arm and started for the kitchen.

"How about some lunch my friend?"

"Tomato soup! Grilled cheese!" Eddy exclaimed.

The door jolted from one loud knock. Nate and Eddy looked at each other and smirked a bit.

"I will get lunch started, for three," Nate cheerily smiled, "Would you please let Shadow in?"

Nate turned a corner as Eddy pranced to the door. The yeti licked his fingers and slicked back his hair. It wildly snapped back into frizzles and he clutched the door handle. Eddy the Yeti snatched the door back and let the snow and wind envelope the foyer.

"Eddy knew you come back!" he exclaimed. Then he finally examined the visitor. Eddy's protective nature kicked in and he growled.

"You not Shadow!" he yelled.

The tundra was covered with fresh snow and the visibility was a near white-out. The onyx castle stood sturdy among the whipping winds and building snow. Then suddenly an explosion occurred at the front door of the castle. Eddy and Nate were in trouble and no one near powerful enough to stop the latest visitor.

**Next time we return to Sonic and the Freedom Fighters peril in Casinopolis where a bomb has ignited the former Twinkle Park.**


	35. The Blur and The Battalion

Sonic stood among the ash and debris.

There was mangled steel everywhere and fires scattered abroad. The Casinopolis Fire Department were all over pulling up citizens - dead or alive - and giving them to the proper authorities. Sonic did much of the initial grunt work, pulling up most of the large debris with Sonic Wind and Sonic Tornado. He stood though finally catching his breath and recuperating from his massive power output. Sally easily found his true blue self and ran to him. Sonic smiled and went to take a step.

Sally caught Sonic and brought him up to his feet.

"Good. You're okay!" Sally started to drag her boyfriend. "We gotta get out of here. Sally to the Freedom Fighters; let's regroup at the center of the Night Babylon district."

"Sal wait... We can still help them."

"Sonic I know you well enough that you want to help anyone in need, but I'm afraid this situation could turn ugly if we stay."

Sonic sighed but smiled through it all. "You're the team leader Sal. Let's get out of here."

Sonic picked himself up from Sally's grasp and stretched in place. He jogged a bit and motioned for Sally to hop in his arms. Sally knew he expended an 'extra life' and saw his rejuvenation because of it. Sally hopped in his arms and they sped to the outskirts of Twinkle Park. They got past many firefighters entering the scarred land and closed in on the exit.

"Halt!" the robotic voice called. he and animal soldiers stood behind him. They started to surround the couple holding guns to their target.

Sonic and Sally turned around looking guilty.

"Heh, hey Omega."

The red powerhouse agent of G.U.N. held up his cannon's and zeroed in on the hedgehog.

"Sonic the Hedgehog, Princess Sally Acorn, and the rest of the Freedom Fighters are all under arrest!"

Sonic almost dropped his girl. "For what?"

"Security footage caught you speeding to the scene moments before the explosion occurred." Omega inched closer.

"Omega you got the wrong guy! I was heading to _save_ lives not destroy them!"

Sally whispered. "Omega's not fast enough for lateral movement."

Sonic nodded. "Okay Omega, you win."

Omega got closer when Sonic dashed away. A faint image of him and Sally remained as a trail of dust led from the scene. Omega expressionless as always lifted his wrist and pressed a few buttons.

"As expected the hedgehog and squirrel are fleeing. Release the G.U.N. robot's, all soldiers deploy, the hedgehog is priority one."

Sonic appeared in the Night Babylon district with Sally in his arms.

"Sonic why are we here?" Sally asked.

"I don't want to put you in harm's way, Sal. Tails and the others can get you back safely."

Sally did not want to but she complied and left her boyfriend in the middle of the fray.

"You better come back to me hedgehog! I'm not raising those two on my own."

Sonic smiled. "I'll be back in Knothole before you even know it."

Sonic turned his back on his lady and walked forward. The Freedom Fighters emerged around Sally as they viewed Sonic building to a run.

"Where's he going?" asked Amy

"He's drawing them away from us..." Sally answered.

"The Hero of Knothole is at it again..." Tails seethed.

"We should go." Cream raised her hands and lifted Amy and Sally. The four of them flew into the sky high among the nighttime clouds.

_Sonic dashed right in front of the enemy lines_

"Ha ha you can't- Whoa!" Sonic dodged a spray of bullets.

Omega watched Sonic darting away and readied his boosters. "Triangulate my position at all times. My eyes will be recording his location. Coordinate the G.U.N. Robot's to back me up."

His soldiers saluted and got to work as Omega's large boosters emerged from his back. In a flurry of fire and smoke Omega took off following the dust trail Sonic left. Omega and Sonic flashed through the lights of Casinopolis. Omega stayed high in the sky raining down bullets and missiles in the process.

Sonic sped through an intersection as two missiles came from both sides of his position. Sonic slowed down as the missiles clashed kicking up fire and toxin everywhere. At this point Sonic was sliding into the furnace of the missiles result while Omega unleashed his barrage again.

Sonic sprang into the air over the fire while sticking his tongue out to the red robot.

Sonic Tornado had saved him twice today. Sonic landed on a rooftop casino and threw himself toward Omega. The machine readied a drill attachment as Sonic dropped to his position. Omega lifted his gun hand when Sonic dashed at him in blink of an eye - the homing attack, old-fashioned but still effective. Omega's boosters rocked and sent the half-ton wrecking machine into the side of a hotel. Sonic homed back to the rooftops and smirked at his damage.

A golden robot was watching Sonic with a single red eye. It was called a beetle and was shaped like the helmet of may guard robots. As soon as it appeared, it cloaked away. Sonic sped off among the rooftops, keeping a good speed to be seen while getting away swiftly. By the time he passed about three blocks, Blue and white beetles emerged. Sonic smashed each one in succession as he crossed a huge gap of the city park below. Sonic landed on a spot he hadn't heard of - the newly built speed highway. The skyward roadway was made for commuters to go at high speeds to avoid treacherous Station Square traffic. Sonic easily took advantage and bounded eastward toward the high rises in Station Square. Once G.U.N. got word of this, the highway was shut down with bots heading to Sonic's trajectory. A blast was fired and Sonic dodged easily. Horned Beetles, the aggressive flying type machine, had pinpointed the blue blur. A horde of the bots flew up next to him and started firing. Sonic smirked and homed in on the closest one. The beetle spun and took out the other three on its tail.

Sonic turned to the front and sidestepped a G.U.N. robot holding a massive shield. Sonic barely made it past the robot when another was on this side of the road. Again, Sonic sidestepped into the middle where a robot was firing a huge pistol. Sonic sped up and vibrated creating after-images of himself on all three sides. The robot fired and took out the left one. The right image faded and as he got closer, the middle image fizzled. The robot lowered its weapon and tried to process what just happened. His chest was blown through with Sonic in ball mode. The robot was in the rear view as Sonic patted forward, at two-hundred miles an hour.

Sonic took to a speed booster but instead of propelling him it reduced his speed. Sonic came down to a walking speed of eighty as Rhino series robots scuttled in. The Rhinos blocked off the path as Sonic darted from left to right. These were the hard-headed kind of bots with spikes on top and springs on the rear - getting near these things wouldn't be a good idea. Sonic trailed the slow machines as Hornet series robots closed in on each side railing. Sonic laughed as he kept pace. The Hornets loaded their lasers and fired. Sonic leapt through the attack barely getting by the light show. Sonic dodged repeatedly and finally homed in on the rhino. The middle rhino swerved a bit and hit the other two. The Hornets scanned the streets but no hedgehog.

"Over here!" Sonic waved. He was riding the Laser Hornet smiling as they all traversed the Speed Highway.

The secondary Hornet opposite Sonic's charged up a blast and fired destroying its mate. Sonic leapt from the wreckage and smashed into firing Hornet. Sonic landed on the guardrail picking up speed and sailing past the blockading Rhinos. Sonic leapt on the street and rolled to knock the three rhinos from there tank-like treads. Sonic came to a stop and yelled out to his aggressors.

"Is this the best ya got!" Sonic held his hands to his mouth like a bullhorn. Sonic rubbed the underside of his nose and patted his foot. A challenge would be nice; he hadn't got one since Scourge six months ago. Sonic turned the opposite way and was just about to blast away when two searing lasers cut the highway section out. Sonic and the asphalt began its descent to the ground miles below. Sonic wasn't too sure if he could withstand this fall. Then two large flying mechs appeared side by side ready to fire their missiles and cannon lasers.

"Finally!" Sonic leapt into the air from the falling street. The first mech named Hot Shot emblazoned on its side fired its missiles. Sonic easily dodged the first wave of three and hitched a ride on the last. The second mech called the Flying Dog flanked and fired its laser. Sonic rolled the missile and dodged the laser fire. Sonic leapt and the missile crashed into the cockpit of the Flying Dog. The mech flipped over and outshot the pilot, who haphazardly was a dog. Sonic, by use of a spurt of Sonic Wind found himself on the falling street again. The heavy block of asphalt and railing was toppling which burst apart from a sudden laser blast. Sonic was free falling as more missiles rained from the Hot Shot. The lizard pilot was set on killing this blue blur. Sonic Tornado propelled the hedgehog high into the air. The Lizard had been ignoring his instruments up until now when he realized he was in the high rises. He pulled up and managed to miss one of Station Squares tallest buildings. Sonic perched atop the Chrysler Building, the tallest monolith in the city, and watched the Hot Shot frenzy out of control among the city sky. The mech was starting to come around when Sonic leapt from the spire aiming for the cockpit. Sonic smashed into the pilot and turned the wheel abruptly. The hedgehog grabbed the unconscious lizard and leapt from the mech. Sonic skidded along a rooftop garden holding onto the lizard soldier.

"You'll thank me later man." Sonic turned for the edge again. Sonic stepped onto the buttrice of the stylized building and looked down.

Still too far down to chance it.

Sonic spotted a circular object on the side of the building across the street. Sonic without question threw himself from the platform and landed on the object. The suction of his landing force kept him on for a few seconds, enough time to spot the next jump pad. Sonic leapt down to the next one and then spotted his target again. Sonic leapt off his final jump pad and curled into a ball to be among the surfaced crowds of Empire City. Sonic started to blend in with the people but realized it wouldn't be a good look especially since he was on their turf. Sonic knew Knothole was southeast of here but with no sun out, he would have to wait until morning. Sonic walked into the streets and saw multitudes of animals walking the streets. Many were in cars passing by, rushing to get to their destinations. Sonic heard a chime as did many of the commuters when he looked at the screen.

"The United Federations' Guardian Units of Nations is issuing an immediate capture of this being." Commander Tower's voice yelled form the loud speakers. As if on cue Sonic's picture loaded onto the screen. The people below were distraught from the announcement. Sonic was a good guy, his appreciation for life was among the valued and now that he returned from his condition he was out to save the world. The citizens were now being warned against this despot.

Commander Tower went on. "Anyone seen harboring or helping this traitor will be dealt with - severely. That is all."

"Well ain't this the cheese on a chili dog..." Sonic ducked into the alleyway. "Gotta find a way outta here. Ugh! I wish I hadn't ditched my earpiece!"

Sonic kicked himself for his past actions.

"I'm starting to think Sonia was right, maybe I should o' paid attention in geography class. I hope she and Manic are okay. I hope Sal is okay..."

Sonic's ears twitched and his Chaos Energy spiked.

Sonic yelled in shock as if his energy was being divided with another. Sonic fell to his knees and so did Shadow the Hedgehog.

They both looked at each other, panting from shock and reentry.

"I've found you... Faker!" Shadow huffed.

"That's my line." Sonic panted. "What are you doing here? I thought you were on your quest..."

Shadow inched up to his feet while Sonic sat on his bottom. Shadow was at a crouch looking around. "Where are we?"

"Empire City, Station Square. I'm currently under siege by the lovely G.U.N. soldiers."

Shadow stood and stuck out a hand and Sonic was helped up.

"Sounds like a past life of mine."

"By past you mean ten minutes ago?"

"Have you any plan of escape?"

"Umm... Not exactly. So you gonna tell me why you're back all of sudden?"

Shadow nodded. "I intend to, but safety must be assured."

Sonic just agreed.

"We can escape if we share Chaos Energy again..."

"You really are crazy."

"I learned some things from our friend Nathan Morgan."

Sonic's eyes went wide as his memory repaired itself. He taught Sonic everything he knew about Chaos Energy and even helped him in a few minor skirmishes with the Zone of Silence. Sonic grew serious at the sound of the great doctor's name.

"Nate's a good friend of mine."

"Nathan is a good friend of _mine_!"

"If you think for a second we're going to pull that stunt again you gotta be outta your mind!"

Omega dropped in from the sky and cut off access to the streets. Omega bared his guns and fired. The blue and black hogs vanished to the rooftops where several Rocket Beetles were set to ambush.

"Chaos Spear!" Shadow flared his hand. All sixteen Beetles were destroyed from the lime colored light. Omega jumped to the roof.

"Shadow you help him?" Omega questioned.

"I'm doing a favor."

"I thought we were supposed to be free together?"

"Release us now and I will return for you, otherwise I cannot guarantee-"

"I can't do that!" Omega raised his gun. "My chasse is on the line from my commander."

"You seek freedom yet you fall under their control again?" Shadow asked. "What kind of machine are you? One who flakes?"

Omega still held his weapon. "The longer you stall, the more time they'll take to torture you."

Shadow revealed the Chaos Emerald and directed Sonic to back away with him.

"I remember a time when the Omega who I called friend would happily do his own dirty work."

Sonic and Shadow gripped the green emerald and easily synchronized their energies.

"You guys are weird..." Sonic shook his head.

Shadow furrowed his brow and held out the emerald. Sonic followed suit before they both announced.

"Chaos Control!"

Omega lowered his weapon.

He let them go.

Commander Tower would not be pleased.

_Shadow and Sonic reemerge among the world_

The hedgehogs hit the ground again.

The sand was a bitter taste but far more refreshing than city life. Sonic yelped in joy as Shadow rose from the grains and started to look.

"Oh man it is good to be back on this side of things. How far are we from Knothole?"

Shadow looked up from ground and searched the brush up ahead.

"What are you doing?"

"Doing what Rouge does best." Shadow swiped the ground and showed Sonic his prize.

"Chaos Emerald." Sonic smiled.

Shadow examined the gem and tossed it to Sonic. "It's yours! Both of them!"

"Alright Shadow, what are you up to?" Sonic caught the second. "You go off on your quest head full of steam and you show up all full of gratitude! Not to mention Nate Morgan!"

"I'm still the ultimate life form, faker, don't forget it."

Sonic nodded. "That's better!"

"Keep the emeralds, I'm sure you'll need it more than I will. Consider it payment for using you as a beacon to warp to."

"I will."

Sonic tucked the emeralds away in his Chaos Energy as Shadow walked toward the beach.

"Knothole is east of here." Shadow pointed.

"Shadow."

The black hedgehog turned around. "What?"

"Thanks."

He simply nodded.

"I always thought you'd come around… who knew it'd be sooner than later."

Shadow nodded again and turned his back to Sonic. He wouldn't dare tell the hero he was in possession of fake emeralds but he would catch on. Shadow took a last glimpse at Sonic and then Chaos Controlled back to his quest. Sonic blasted off toward Knothole to rejoin his friends who made a break for home from Casinopolis.

_In the late hours of night, Mammoth Mogul closes a business deal_

Three Chaos Emeralds fell upon the table.

Mammoth Mogul had a great poker face but three emeralds made even him perk up. He stilled his composure and faced his partner.

"So you're telling me all I have to do is transport a case for you and collect another payment like this?"

His partner among the shadows just nodded.

"You know me well, my friend, I'd do anything to escape the horror to come. Just make sure you cut me in on the deal."

The partner just nodded.

Mammoth Mogul accepted the gems and looked at the case.

"It's only right if I take a peek." Mammoth tried to open the case but struggled to even find the hatch. The case was GPS locked and sealed air-tight to prevent opening in the wrong location. His partner still didn't trust him.

Mammoth Mogul apprehensively took the case.

"Casino Night Zone will welcome me with open arms."

Mammoth Mogul and the partner go their separate ways.


	36. Hedgehog's Dilemma

The team Destructix sat alone in the jail.

It was the middle of the night and no one was awake to cause a ruckus. Knothole slept quietly among the surroundings of wood and leaves. Nicole sprang to life at the city's front gates just before Sonic the Hedgehog arrived. He was minimally bruised and a bit winded but ultimately in one piece.

"Welcome back Sonic the Hedgehog." Nicole dryly welcomed him home.

"Evening Nicole." Sonic smiled. The two continued into Knothole with street lamps giving view to the path.

"Should I notify Sally of your arrival? She has been vigilant ever since she and the others arrived here a few hours ago."

"Don't worry. I'll make an entrance of my own."

"Very well then, pleasant dreams Hero of Knothole." Nicole blinked away as Sonic darted for his place. It was a quick trip but he eventually slowed down when Sally came in view. Nicole was alongside her too just before she nodded and blinked away.

"That liar..." Sonic shook his head.

Sally opened her arms as Sonic went in for a hug.

"You're safe." Sally exhaled.

"Ain't I always." Sonic squeezed her a little tighter.

"Sonic I heard the news... We barely escaped Station Square without a huge sacrifice. In the next few weeks they might target us for the so-called crime we committed. Knothole can't go into war with Station Square! It'd be a slaughter!"

"I know, I know. But it won't come to that. We're going to clear Knothole of every charge and make this stupid alliance work."

Sally calmed down a bit. "I called Rosie as soon I got back, our children are okay, they were learning to draw..."

"I miss them already..." Sonic directed his lady inside. "C'mon let's get you some rest."

_Morning arrived and so did the team at Freedom HQ_

King Elias walked in and set down a folder.

He took a seat among the other Knotholans and folded his arms. Knuckles and Julie-Su had gone back to Angel Island some time ago and Rouge was obviously not present along with Bunnie. Antoine, Rotor, Cream, Amy, Tails, Sonic and Sally were present and accounted for.

"I've gone through many solutions with what little information we have and for the most part I believe it is a conspiracy against the Kingdom of Knothole."

The Freedom Fighters didn't like to hear that.

"But the Free World Alliance! I was believing that it is being beneficial for everyone."

"Reasons and explanations will have to come later." Elias held up his hand. "The most recent exploit of Station Square and the United Federation is the attempted capture of our own Sonic the Hedgehog. The bombing was not in our agenda at all and the one who triggered it knew how to set us up. This is why I'm thinking that Station Square hurt itself with a self-inflicted wound and placed the blame on us."

"As much as that makes sense," Sally started, "it wouldn't explain their agreeing in the alliance, no! The suggestion of an alliance."

"I learned that Angel Island wouldn't agree to a summit if Knothole was not included." Elias explained.

"So they give us a false sense of trust and once they get what they want they'll discard us." Tails shook his head. "Can't anyone be up front about themselves anymore?"

"This is diabolical!" Amy said open-mouthed.

Elias just nodded. "Now you see my point of view. I still think the key to all of this is Mammoth Mogul. Not only does he have the money but the status to hide information among his contacts and establishments."

"How is one guy gonna give up all of that?" Cream gestured. "Besides, Mammoth Mogul is the strongest guy I ever heard of, how are we gonna corner someone like that?"

"Teamwork will be one factor, also a surprise attack."

"I thought you said we couldn't even find the guy last time." Rotor stated.

"True but thanks to Rouge she gave us a tip."

Elias turned around, got up and pressed a button for the monitor to come to life.

"Rouge calling Knothole." the bat appeared on the screen.

"This is a recording we received last night." Elias explained.

"Hey guys! I don't know if you guys are busy tomorrow night but I'm having a special guest perform at Club Rouge for a surprise show. I'd love for you guys to be there to party with me. I have a mammoth of drink specials from Mogul Martinis to Immortality shots. Hope to see you guys there! Also bring Sonic! Make sure he looks good too, Sally."

The recording stopped as Sally folded her arms. "Flying rat..."

"I will get Knothole ready for a stand against Station Square." Elias turned off the monitor and faced his team.

"A stand?" Sally nearly lost it. "Surely you're not that-"

"A diplomatic stand!" Elias cut her off. "Military defense from our standpoint would be a complete and utter failure. Should I feel the noose tighten on our necks I will have the citizens evacuate into the Great Forest where Knothole Village used to be. I've already sent a team there to set up Nicole for our eventual arrival."

"Oh..." Sally smiled. "Sounds like things are going smooth in these rough times."

Sally let off another weight from her shoulders. She worried about her brother becoming King but so far after the first few days the jitters were gone. She could see it in his eyes that he was unwavering in his resolve. Knothole City would be safe with King Elias at the reigns.

"Now, Club Rouge is on West Side Island. Sonic, Tails, I understand you two are familiar with that area."

"Yeah we have a history there." Tails summarized.

"Are you kidding me big guy?" Sonic nearly leapt onto the table to explain, "Me and Tails became best buds there, without him we probably wouldn't have… stopped… that one guy."

Everyone gave Sonic an odd look. Nicole appeared in a blink and stared at Sonic.

"What did you say?" Nicole asked.

"I didn't say anything..." Sonic rubbed the underside of his nose.

"That one guy?" Tails rose from his seat. " That one guy! We've been talking about Doctor Robotnik this entire time! How could you lose a memory that large? We've been fighting him our entire lives!"

"Miles!" Sally called him.

Tails sat back down and folded his arms. Sally turned her attention back to her boyfriend.

"Sonic, do you not remember anything about Robotnik?"

Sonic squirmed a bit. "I know he's a bad guy and he... he made all of the robots G.U.N. uses?"

"This is being bad." Antoine rubbed his face.

"Actually no." Nicole chimed in. "Dr. Quack and myself diagnosed his memory loss as extremely temporary."

"How so?" asked Sally.

"He couldn't remember such events or people until something triggered it. A name or a face was generally the catalyst. Having stopped short of a complete mission the first time he never really indulged his memory."

"Bring up a photo of the old tyrant!" King Elias commanded. Nicole was a step ahead as Dr. Robotnik graced the screen. He was seen in his Egg Mobile trying to trounce Sonic, then piloting a huge walking sand robot trying to smash he and Tails, then a spy camera shot of Robotnik sitting on his throne in Robotropolis.

Sonic just shrugged at the pictures. "Nothing."

"We're not going to worry too much about it." Sally moved on. "Sonic knows where he stands and it's with us. That's all that matters."

The others just shrugged.

"I agree." King Elias stated. "The mission at hand remains though. The team will be as it was previously. I want you to get to the event early and scope out every inch of the place and make sure you get Mammoth Mogul to sing better than I could."

"Sweet." Rotor got up. "Another day off."

The Freedom Fighters dismissed and went back to their homes to prepare for the next mission. West Side Island wasn't far away but the journey there was over the ocean. Sonic, Tails, and Amy were fast enough to surface run across but their energy would be sapped for the mission later. Sally and Cream would have to do most of the setup while the others conserve energy. Mammoth Mogul if he turned furious would be a huge ordeal for the five of them to take on. Rouge would assist though, no question about it, but she'd be risking her own self in the process. Station Square didn't like traitors, this impending war with Knothole would prove it. Still Sally set all of these thoughts aside and packed up the Lynx 2.0 and other tech that would aid.

Sonic and Amy met at the rendezvous point first and shared in awkward silence. The city gates were closed now in the event of a G.U.N. raid but Nicole and the King had a few contingency plans to defend. Still, Sonic and Amy were ready for someone else to join this pair. Sonic brushed off his anxiety and faced his ex-girlfriend.

"Amy."

"Sonic."

Another awkward silence.

"Look Amy."

"Ugh Sonic, I don't want to hear it."

"Listen!" Sonic raised his voice. "I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done."

Amy went docile. "Thank me?"

"You made feel comfortable when I didn't know everything yet." Sonic stated. "Without you, I wouldn't be where I am now."

"That still sounds like something a jerk would say."

"That's not what I meant..." Sonic rubbed his head. "Amy you are one of my most cherished friends. Not being able to mess around or joke with you makes me a little sad, like Sally is the only person I can be with. All I wanted from you ever since we broke up was your friendship and I couldn't even have that with you."

Amy was touched.

He still thought of her as a friend after all this time. Amy was the type to hold grudges but after such a candid expression her contempt vanished. She tackled Sonic and hugged him. Her feelings returning for the blue blur.

"So I guess we're cool then?" asked Sonic with a smirk on his face.

"Well ain't this a kick in the teeth." Cream arrived.

"Sonic and I are friends again!" Amy exclaimed.

"You two weren't friends? Man I have been out the loop."

Tails walked up and folded his arms.

"Hey Tails, you wanna join in the friendship too." Sonic smiled.

"Friendship?"

"Yup. Amy and I are back on speaking terms"

Tails snapped a look at the pink hedgehog and just glared at her.

"I thought we had a plan Amy!" Tails spat.

Amy looked at Cream and Sonic. "Can we not do this here?"

"I don't want to hear it..." Tails turned his back, "Women..."

Sally walked up putting on a small backpack.

"Miles! Your next three tails are budding!" Sally examined.

"I know! I'm almost a complete fox now." he smirked. "A few more days and I'll be up to nine."

"That's good then." Sally looked everyone over. "Are we all set?"

The other four nodded.

"Alright. We'll be heading southwest, watch for landmarks, and keep up a suitable speed for long distance traveling. If we need rest then we'll stop. Once we hit the ocean it'll be a nonstop cruise there. Any questions?"

Sally hopped in Sonic's arms as Cream hopped in Tails'. Nicole, coherent in all things, opened the city's gates and appeared to see them off.

"Alright let's go!"

Tails blasted off first with Amy on his six. Sonic smirked and crouched a bit then dropped to a knee. Sally stumbled a bit as Sonic was winded on the ground.

"What's wrong?" Sally worried. "Hyper Sonic?"

Sonic just nodded. The pain going away as quickly as it came. That was the first one in a while. Sonic rose to his feet.

"We still need to figure out what's wrong with you." Sally clasped his shoulders.

"It's my Chaos Energy..." Sonic confessed. "I knew all along."

Sally sighed, her anger being well-controlled amid the situation. "Why tell me now?"

"Because I can handle it, just like I did back then." Sonic stood firm against his girlfriend. "Hyper Sonic uses so much energy the result is this. After the last time I used it I found the Chaos Emeralds again and wasn't able to go Super. It took almost a year before I was fine again."

"Sonic..." Sally tightly gripped his hands. "We rely on you justfor your ability to come through, namely Super Sonic. If you can't be our ace-in-the-hole then what should happen?"

"I'm not the only Hero of Knothole Sal. Ever since I came back everyone's been forgetting about their backbone of the past five years. Tails is your Hero."

Sally nodded. "We'll talk about this later."

"Sure thing princess." Sonic whispered. Sally hopped in his arms and the two shared a mistrusting look.

"Up, over, and gone?"

Sonic blasted off instantly shattering the sound barrier behind him. Sally held on tightly as the three speedsters zoomed through the forest. The quickly toured through the brush and out into the plains. The rolling hills went for miles, which they easily traversed in hours. They got to the beach and settled down for a light rest. The afternoon sun was at its peak with clouds streaming above them. Sonic and company ate a meal on the seaboard while taking in the rays. Amy talked about her suntan while Cream tried to hide in the shade. Tails just sat on the sand facing the southwest, his next mission on his mind. Sally called the team together and immediately they packed up. Cream insisted she fly but was denied from Sally to conserve her energy. The other three saddled up their partners and blasted across the water. The weather was clear on the sea with minimal waves to worry about. Sonic worried about falling in and sinking like an anchor but was constantly reassured Cream would probably save him. They took a straight shot to West Side Island and by the time evening arrived they were rounding the island to come to the Casino Night Zone. The sun was still high with orange coloring the sky. Purple clouds roamed by while Sonic sweetly kissed land.

"Right on schedule." Sally clasped her hands. "Cream, do you think you can get us closer?"

"Sure thing toots." Cream Controlled everyone and lifted them from the ground and flew up through the massive casinos. Sonic and Tails gathered a few memories and viewed some of the trail they followed many years ago. Passing through loops and large vertical casino tables Cream found the strip where many clubs were stationed and then the clear-cut line where Robotropolis had transformed the rest of the island into _His_ playground. Hill Top and Metropolis were but a forgotten memory as the smog covered the large mountain and factories stationed everywhere on it. Cream banked left and quickly approached the ground. Amy and Sally grew fearful as they sped towards it while Sonic grinned in complete thrill. Cream pulled up at the last second and levitated feet above the ground. Cream ceased her Control and the four of them dropped to the ground.

"Easy on the landing kid..." Sonic stood up.

"Whatever, I didn't hear a please or a thank you. I swear I get no respect." Cream walked ahead.

"We made it one piece and that's good enough for me." Amy brushed her black dress off.

"Now how do we get to Rouge's club?" Sonic asked.

"It's a few blocks down the way." Amy pointed. "C'mon!"

Amy lead the way blasting through the streets and weaving between patrons. Casino Night Zone was small in comparison to the huge apparatus of Casinopolis in Station Square. There were many casinos on Mobius but nothing was more familiar than this zone. The Freedom Fighters arrived at the front entrance and pushed in. Immediately Rouge looked up from her clipboard and smirked.

"Well well, it's about time you guys showed." Rouge hugged Amy.

"We'd a been here sooner if Sonic hadn't stopped to change his tampon." Cream was hugged by Rouge.

Tails smiled from Cream's harsh insult.

"Aside from that," Sally interrupted, "How did you get intel about Mammoth's trip here."

"It was an anonymous tip left of on my phone." Rouge lead them further into the club. "Also Mammoth Mogul is obsessed with the performer tonight. Although she refuses to make a single appearance at his locations, I assume he's going to try and make a deal here. Beauty of it is, if I'm suspected I'll say I just thought you guys wanted to see a good show. How was I supposed to know that Station Square's biggest benefactor was going to be present?"

"And with West Side Island in a neutral position we have the freedom to act as we see fit." Sally smiled.

"Only if I can do the same thing." Rouge glared at Sonic, practically undressing him with her eyes.

"So where do we start then?" asked Amy. The club was pretty empty and the bartenders were getting prepared for a huge take tonight. There were equipment managers setting the stage and a few technicians working on the lights up above. Rouge just looked at Amy and shrugged her shoulders.

"I've got work to do." Rouge turned around. "But I'm sure Sally has a plan or two. All I ask is that somebody guard our special guest. She's in the V.I.P. room behind the stage."

Sally nodded. "Alright this works out just like we planned. Amy and Cream I want you two at the airport tailing Mammoth Mogul the minute he gets here. Sonic, Tails and I will remain here getting a perimeter together. Once Mogul enters the club we will blend in. We don't want to interrupt anything that might give away our positions. Once the club is closed Mammoth will make his move and so will we. While you two are gone I will go over a strategy to take down Mammoth. In the meantime, Tails will watch over the guest and Sonic take a look around the city to see if you find any former business partners who know what Mammoth is undertaking here."

The Freedom Fighters broke apart and fanned out to their assignments.

Sonic rubbed the underside of his nose and tapped his foot.

"Pfft! First mission back, ha! You're an old pro Sal." Sally smiled while revealing the Lynx device.

"Don't try to cuddle up to me now." Sally tapped away on her device.

"Aww c'mon Sal, your still mad about that?"

"When the situation involves your health, the stability of Knothole and the potential mass genocide Station Square will impose, yeah! I tend to get a little itchy."

Sonic shrugged. "They've got cortisone for that you know."

Sally grunted and turned her full attention to the Lynx. "Nicole, give me a list of former business partners of Mammoth Mogul in the Casino Night Zone."

A few seconds passed and a list of three names popped up on the screen. Sally pulled out an ear bud and handed it Sonic.

"Hopefully you'll keep it this time?"

"Hopefully."

"The first one is three blocks away in the Galatia Casino, names Ricky."

"Another one with no title or last name... these guys are weird." Sonic kissed Sally and dashed out the club. Sally smiled and settled into strategy mode. Tails on the other hand approached the dressing room and sighed. He hated celebrities, all of them pompous, high and mighty fools except for that one who seemed completely genuine. Tails had seen her many times on his desktop screensaver and admittedly gawked at her beauty but there was no way in the world they would meet. Tails knocked and waited a bit.

"Oh please come in!" her frantic voice called.

Tails stepped in and his eyes went wide.

"Thank you!" she expressed, "I was just about to give up."

A curling iron was stuck in her glorious purple locks. Her rounded ears donned hoop earrings and her face was beautiful without any make-up. Tails was stunned for a few seconds as the woman stepped back in her dressing room.

"Can you help me out?" she smiled.

Tails broke his stare and slowly approached. The girl had a curling iron stuck in her hair and freshly painted nails. Tails untangled the iron and set it on the counter, still stupefied for being in the same room with her.

She looked at him, really took a discerning glance and jumped with joy.

"You're Tails aren't you!" she exclaimed. Her voice was majestic.

The six-tailed fox just nodded then shook his head in disbelief.

"Yeah but, how do _you_ of all people know _me_! I mean you're Mina Mongoose, the breakout princess of pop!"

Mina blushed a bit. She sat in her chair looking normal as ever with a black tank top, super short brown khakis, and knee high boots.

"Sorry I used to blog about you..."

"That's okay I used to stalk you." she smiled. Tails' eyes went wide. "I used to grow up in Knothole, a long time ago. Ever since you moved to the village I always wanted to know who you were."

"That _was_ a long time ago."

Mina nodded. "A few months later we moved to the budding continents of Station Square."

"And here I thought I was going to have a boring assignment" Tails sat on the couch."

"Assignment?"

"I'm a Freedom Fighter, sworn to protect anyone from the tyranny of Dr. Robotnik."

"Robotnik huh?" Mina said in awe. "That's some serious stuff. I heard he was dead though."

"That's what we think too. But a lot of suspicious things have been going on especially with Mammoth Mogul."

"Mammoth Mogul!"

She hated the guy more than Tails did. She sprang from her chair and posted her hands on her hips. "I hate that guy! He wanted me to perform in one of his sleazy clubs for a low rate! And then after the show he undercut me! Never again I said!"

Tails chuckled a bit. "Well he'll be here tonight."

Mina deflated and dropped in her chair. "No. Way."

"Word is he's going to try and recruit you again."

Mina went pale. "I think I'm going to be sick. Tails you have to stay. Forget all of that Robotnik and oppression mess, you gotta protect me!"

Mina, in her rant, cornered Tails on the couch.

"Okay I'll do it..."

Mina posted her hands on the arm rest and the back of the couch putting Tails in a tight situation.

"Your word is okay but I need something better."

"I promise?"

Mina shook his hand. "Good!"

Tails sighed – a little bossy but what woman isn't. Tails relaxed a bit as Mina sat in her chair and turned towards her mirror.

"This will give us some time to get to know each other."

_Amy and Cream enter Club Rouge meeting with Sonic and Sally_

The club was full of animals all drinking and partying before the headliner took the stage. Mina and Tails were backstage still while the Freedom Fighters were in Rouge's office behind the scenes. Mina was set to perform in a few minutes and the patrons were anxious to hear the Songoose.

"Mammoth Mogul is just outside." Amy explained.

"But before that he stopped to see a guy name Juicy."

"That's one of the guys I investigated earlier." Sonic nodded.

"This is good." Sally smiled.

"There's more toots." Cream started. "Mammoth was carrying a briefcase which never left his hands."

"What's even worse! He was wearing three Chaos Emeralds as rings on his fingers."

Sally's eyes went wide. "That isn't good! Mogul is a master user of Ixian elemental control. He could use your abilities against you in a second. And with three emeralds behind him he's going to be more than a handful."

"What's the plan Sal?"

Sally thought for a minute. "The briefcase."

The others nodded.

"He's so cautious about it sticks out like a sore thumb. If we take the briefcase then we can expose him and pawn it off on that Juicy guy!"

"How will that help us clear Knotholes name?"

"I'm still piecing things together right now, but I can assure you its not money in that case. Mammoth sticks with the times and wires digitally. Whatever he's transporting is hard evidence... probably to blackmail Mina Mongoose."

"We better go warn Tails then, he's got the privilege of being bodyguard tonight." Sonic said.

"Stay hidden Freedom Fighters! Mammoth Mogul should never know we're here until the final seconds."

The Freedom Fighters fanned out from the office as Sally relaxed in the chair thinking over a few things.

"Evening princess." Rouge walked in.

"Good evening Rouge." Sally stood up.

"How's the big mission going?"

"We've hashed out and scripted everything I can think of."

"I want to help."

Sally glared at Rouge. The recent flirtatious with her boyfriend made Sally question the bats allegiance but still she didn't doubt her.

"Okay Rogue, but no more advances to Sonic!"

"Hmm... I will try."

Sally knew that was the best she was going to get. "How close can you get to Mammoth Mogul?"

"Well I'm owner of the club darling, I have to be there in V.I.P. with him and make sure his every whim is fulfilled."

Sally nodded. "I understand West Side Island is neutral territory and all but is this going to affect your standings with Station Square."

"Screw Station Square!" Rouge said calmly. "They've treated me like a low-class prostitute these past years and besides, they've targeted one of the few people I like along with a city I hold dear. I'm a Freedom Fighter from here on."

Sally nodded. "I still don't fully trust you but I will admit you can make this mission happen."

"Tell me where I need to be."

Mina Mongoose graced the stage, her extravagant attire shimmered among the bright lights of the club. Her shimmery camisole waved from the fans and a tight fitting skirt formed over her legs with designed leggings and heels. Tails watched the purple-haired Mongoose turn into another person on the stage. This completely down-to-Mobius girl turned into an icon once the show went on.

And her voice proved it.

Not a flat note was heard and her energy was contagious. Club Rouge was privileged to have her in their presence. Mammoth Mogul watched from the important persons area with lust in his eyes. He viewed Mina as a cash cow bringing in tons of money for his most illustrious venues. He didn't know what he had when he was one of the first to hire her but now he was coming back to make a deal. The Freedom Fighters, the eyes of the crowd, watched Mogul from all angles. The fans and patrons were everywhere hopping and dancing with alcohol in nearly all of their hands.

Mina had sang a few of her hits then slowed it down with a ballad or too then pumped it back up with some of her most successful songs. Mina was singing over her last song, a popular hit encourage the women to take back what's theirs. Tails stood ready as the last note was hit and Mina graced the microphone one last time.

"Goodnight everybody! Love you West Side Isle!"

Mina scampered to the back stage area where Tails met up with her.

"You did amazing!" Tails said dumbfounded. "I never thought I would see a live show much less meet you in person."

"Or be my bodyguard for the night."

Tails shrugged. "Yeah that too."

"Who knows maybe you'll end up being my boyfriend for the night."

Tails paused. Mina gave him a smirk and then kissed him on his cheek. Tails stopped for the mongoose but also for the bat. Rouge stood in the entryway of Mina's dressing room with a knowing smile and folded arms.

"Mammoth Mogul has requested your presence Mina." Rouge winked. "It's time we start the show."

Tails looked at Mina and nodded. She gave a look which translated as 'eww' but she stepped behind Rouge. Mammoth Mogul sat alone in the plush green room with his cane at his side. He stared at oddities of the room for a little bit and then sipped his martini. He was confident about the deal that was about to go down. He glanced over his briefcase and patted its side when the door opened and in came Mina Mongoose.

"Mina!" Mammoth stood up. "What a pleasure it is."

His towering seven foot stature made Mina even sicker.

"Let's get this over with." Mina uttered.

"Rouge I don't recall requesting you to be here."

"My house, my rules." Rouge lounged on the wrap-around couch next to the briefcase. "Besides, someone has to mediate things here. Mina's manager was suddenly caught in 'traffic' and I wouldn't be a good host if I didn't see to Ms. Mongoose's needs."

Mammoth just stared at Rouge. He picked up the case and set it on the other side of him then turned to Mina.

"You gave an astounding performance Mina."

"What do you want Mogul?"

"You won't even hear my rants and reviews of your performance? A shame it is when celebrity magnitude reaches the core of someone like you."

"That's not true! I'm still the same person I've always been!"

Mammoth sipped his martini. "Really? Then why have you not returned to my venues to perform. Young and eager you were to just sing but now you're this big star who simply acquires money?"

"I am not greedy!"

"I never said greedy!"

Mina folded her arms.

"Perform at the Vogue in two months, show a sign of good faith and appease my crowds."

Mina didn't want to hear it but she was coming off as a greedy stuck-up snob.

"Why don't you sponsor an event here at Club Rouge?" the bat chimed in."You can take a share of the profit while I host her. Everyone wins."

Mammoth shot Rouge an evil look.

Mina simply erupted in joy.

"I'm on board with that!" Mina folded her arms and nodded.

Mammoth sighed. "I refuse to-"

The lights went out in the entire district of Casino Night. Pitched darkness flowed over the zone then few inklings of light sprang back on. After about thirty seconds the power returned and the green room was back to normal.

"See even Casino Night agrees." Rouge stood up and headed for the mini-bar. "Since Mina and I have offered a good proposal then we will leave you to think things over. Ten minutes sound about right?"

Mina stood up and started for the door. Rouge followed behind her with a drink in her hand.

"You think you can fool me Rouge the Bat!" Mammoth Mogul stood up, cane flaring to life in his hands. Mina grabbed Rouge and darted out of the green room. Cream readied herself and lifted her hands.

"Go!" she yelled. Mina and Rouge blasted away as Cream crushed the entire room into the size of a basketball. Cream examined her work for a bit and then trailed right after the others.

Rouge wore a smile. "You're fast too?"

Mina just nodded.

Mina appeared outside with Amy and her Piko Piko Hammer. The women formed a perimeter around Mina.

"This way." Amy motioned. Then Mammoth Mogul appeared swirling from nowhere. Cream, Amy, and Rouge stood in defense as Mammoth just floated above them.

"A switch." Mammoth's eyes just glowed, "You think you can deceive me, one of the greatest minds in the universe!"

Rouge stepped forward. "Save yourself! Get out of here!"

Mammoth focused on the bat and floated down to the ground. "You are going to die a horrible death!"

Mammoth lifted his hand and his three Chaos Emerald rings shot from his fingers. Cream caught them and then a cube of crystal wrapped around them. Rouge was then grabbed by the mammoth and forced to stare in his eyes. Rouge plunged into a forced reality. Her pupils dilated and her jaw completely opened. Mammoth dropped her after that and looked down the avenue. The other three were gone, but Mammoth wasn't concerned.. He was more upset about his briefcase though. He knew the location of where he was supposed to be to open the case and he quickly teleported himself there.

Sonic and Sally briefly stopped with the case in their possession. The bright lights and noise of Casino Night Zone gave them a bit of cover.

"Sonic we pulled it off without a hitch!" Sally exclaimed.

"I'm worried about the others though." Sonic turned around.

"Tails is with them." Sally reassured, trying to open the case. "Nicole! Hack into this case!"

A few seconds pass. "Unable to hack."

"I was afraid of this... " Sally put away the Lynx and tucked the case underneath her arm.

"What's goin' on Sal?"

"This is a GPS case, only accessible at a certain location."

The Lynx 2.0 vibrated and Sally retracted the device. "Location determined Sally, the Casino Night entrance into Robotropolis."

"Sounds like we're headed for a good time." Sonic smiled.

Sonic and Sally darted off toward the west through the glitz, glamour, and sparkle of the city. Then the lights started to fade and the people started to dwindle. The clear sky of stars and clouds became filled with pungent pollution and decay. Sonic slid to the main gate where electricity barred the massive gates. Sonic pushed Sally behind him and faced Mammoth Mogul.

"Be careful Sal." Sonic prepared.

"Relieve the case to me, and you won't be seriously injured." Mogul stepped forward.

The briefcase unlocked.

Mammoth Mogul paused.

Sonic paused too.

Sally opened the case quickly and revealed stacks of information.

"Contracts!" Sally exclaimed. "Evidence tying the attack on King Elias to Mammoth Mogul. The Destructix and the Station Square betrayal were all part of your plan!"

Sally slammed the case closed.

"We got you cornered you pachyderm." Sonic folded his arms.

"Forgery! I had nothing to do with the meagerness of petty kings. How dare you sully my great name."

Mammoth built up his attack and then fell to the ground, face planted, sliding right before Sonic and Sally. The couple looked at each other and down to the suited Mammoth. The shot to the back of his head was lethal. An unexpected shot would likely put this huge Mammoth in the hospital for a few days. Sonic heard an unmistakable sound and a memory reel occurred. The images were quick but very, very distinct.

"Sally you need to leave..." Sonic grimly stated.

"Sonic..."

"Sally!"

Sonic turned around and stared into her eyes. "I promised you I would keep you safe! Staying here will make me go back on that promise especially with him here."

Sally nodded and closed the case.

"Go."

Sally kissed Sonic and headed for the way back to Casino Night.

Sonic faced his target and tensed up.

"Metal Sonic." The Blue Blur stated.

The silent robot just faced Sonic mimicking his stance. The metal creation was all blue with black corneas and menacing glowing red pupils. His aerodynamic body was more tuned to speed than Sonic's and the sleek turbine engine in his chest powered him. Metal Sonic let down his arm, blood dripping from his hand, and approached Sonic.

"I thought I destroyed you."

Metal Sonic rubbed the underside of his pointed nose and tapped his foot.

"I did it once and I can do it again." Sonic appeared and slammed into an already in motion Metal. His hard body pushed Sonic back with the high pitch squeal of his engine. Metal then spun and let Sonic dart off into the gates of Robotropolis. Sonic stopped short of the electricity and turned around to find the wind trail Metal Sonic left. Sonic chased after him immediately turning a few corners and going through a few streets. Sonic then stopped dead in his tracks, the wind swirling around him staring down Metal Sonic.

The villainous robots bloody hand grasped Sally's auburn hair.

Sonic was stuck. Metal just stared at his fleshly counterpart. Sonic needed a good strategy if he was going to keep the mother of his children safe. Metal Sonic lifted Sally by the skull and showed her distress to Sonic. She was distraught and in pain from the tight clamp of Metal Sonic's claw. Metal approached slowly keeping Sonic at bay with Sally as his shield.

"I'm only going to say this once, let her go."

Metal tilted his head, as if examining the seriousness of Sonic's words. He released Sally and stepped back.

Sonic instantly grabbed her and Metal quickly clutched Sonic. The robot head butted the hedgehog sending him into the wall. Metal shadowed him and started to raise his hand. Metal punched Sonic repeatedly and added a few kicks to the assault too. Sonic was unconscious by the time Metal got through. Sally was down as well but had the privilege of being in Metal Sonic's grasp yet again. Metal reached in Sally's vest and revealed the Lynx device. Without hesitation, he crushed it and let the pieces fall before the blue hog. Sonic writhed in pain below as Metal approached and kicked Sonic one last time. The hard shell exterior of Metal Sonic always made him a formidable opponent and this time proved no less. Metal clamped a little tighter on Sally's hair and then dragged her down the alley with him.

He was heading west to Robotropolis, the heart of pollution and evil, with Sally as his guest of honor.

**We're officially past the halfway point of this Arc and things are finally starting to take form especially with the recent villains appearance. Mwahaha… Check this out next time to find out how Sonic and Sally will fare against the treacherous Metal Sonic. **

**Also REVIEWS are deeply appreciated. KEEP THEM COMING!**

And other unrelated news… I have released my album entitled "Seven Deadly X's" under StarSquadEnterprises on youtube. Rate/Review/Likes are greatly appreciated. Until next time Freedom Fighters


	37. Unlikely Shades Part 2

Shadow reentered from Chaos Control.

His knowledge of the Chaos Energy had grown sturdier with his Time at Nate Morgan's stoop. He'd been able to locate massive amounts Chaotic Energy and focus his teleportation on it. How he'd found the emerald the last time with Sonic was a true feat.

Sonic...

The bad taste from being in that faker's presence was not as bad as the last few times. Shadow could understand him a little better if not for Shadow's own issues of mistrust. Still he let go of the false emeralds in his care and pawned them off on somebody who could suffer from them. Ever since Shadow acquired one, he had been feeling sick but now that he was relieved one of them he'd never felt better. Since then he'd gone and found the two other fake emeralds hidden relatively close to Station Square. Whoever was producing such grotesque jewelry was leaving them rather tightly. Still he felt a little groggy with the gems but managed to power through without the help of fatigue or hunger like last time.

Shadow surveyed the clear eve on the tundra. He pulled the cloak and hood from his Chaos Energy and donned the clothes yet again. He made good on his promise and returned to the frozen Southern Tundra. His Chaos Control felt a little more potent after he passed the 50 million-ring milestone. He'd come to inform Nate Morgan of his newest discovery and maybe get a free square meal.

Shadow came in view of the onyx castle and his anger rose.

The castle took some huge hits with debris blasts toward the outside. Someone got in and hurt the people Shadow called friends. The black hedgehog ran to the entrance and saw snow covering some of the inner layouts of Nate M

organ's secret home. Shadow walked into the foyer and made a left down the hall. The damage had been for a while, any sign of the enemy would be buried under the snow.

"Dr. Morgan!" Shadow called. Shadow passed the kitchen and saw the huge hole in the brick wall leading to the mountainside of snow and ice. Whatever happened here, it was big.

"Eddy!" Shadow called again. No answer. The hollow winds and ice cold air were the only responses this hog was getting. Shadow ventured downstairs, hoping the two would retreat to a more secure surroundings. Shadow opened the wooden door and took to the stone spiral steps. The spiral ended and the rest were straight stairs where Shadow stopped to survey the room from the top step. Nate Morgan's equipment was trashed and the containers holding the rings were strewn about the room. Someone came here with a purpose and Shadow was ready to find the underlying cause of it.

"Nathan!" Shadow called.

"...Shadow?" a faint voice called. Shadows ears twitched and he easily pinpointed where the overlander was.

"Dr. Morgan?" Shadow pushed some rings aside and found the man, he was injured and looked a bit malnourished.

"Don't worry I'll find the ones who did this to you!" Shadow grabbed Nate by the hand and started to pull.

"No wait, Ahh!"

Shadow ceased his pull.

"That machine is on my leg, it's why I haven't been able to move." Nate grimaced in pain.

Shadow went to the machine right away and tried to pick it up. It didn't budge. Shadow sighed and reached for the rings on his wrist. They expanded to normal size and vanished in his Chaos Energy. Shadow easily picked up the machine and tossed it to the other side of the room. Shadow became winded and hurriedly put the Inhibitor Rings back on. Shadow exhaled and helped up Nate Morgan.

"Thank you Shadow, you came in the nick of time."

"Where is Eddy?"

Nate looked at Shadow and then to the ground. "I'm afraid Eddy didn't make it. Our intruder caught us off guard and the damage is as you see. The intruder showed me Eddy's corpse and then threw him aside like something worthless. I'm afraid I wasn't any help to my protector, pitiful man that I am."

"Who did this to you?"

"A man I'd never seen before, who spoke no words, bore no Chaos Energy, yet he was strong enough to penetrate my castle. All I'll ever remember are those eyes, those horrible menacing eyes."

"Had you considered my offer to relocate to Knothole you wouldn't have been in this mess."

"There was no time, he came soon as you left." Nate informed him. Shadow paused wishing he'd stayed for just a little bit longer. All of this could have been prevented if he just stayed a few seconds longer.

"Shadow it's fine."

"I refuse to believe that doctor. Eddy is dead, your home is compromised and no one else is here to protect you. What should happen if they come back again?"

"He won't be coming back again, he took what he needed, after smashing my equipment. All my research of Chaos Energy and Power Rings has fallen into the hands of those crimson eyes."

Shadow couldn't take anymore of this. He set Nate down on a partially broken couch and went into his master bedroom.

"I'm taking you to Knothole, Nathan." Shadow announced. "I refuse to have you be in jeopardy while I hunt down your aggressor."

Nate sighed. "Finally your direct about something for once."

Shadow rolled his eyes, eventually coming out with a stuffed suitcase full of clothes. "Exile or not you need safety and I won't let a friend be in danger. Knothole is the safest place for you. It's full of noble and genuine people with aspirations of a peaceful life. Although naïve in their thinking, they seek to do some literal good among this fathomed world. They've fought hard and-"

"Shadow! I'm not arguing..."

The black hedgehog stopped and set the case down.

"Maybe you were saying that for your own sake, hmm?"

Shadow picked up Nate and placed his arm over his shoulder. "Don't make me hurt you old man. Chaos Control!"

_Shadow and Nate teleported into the evening life of Knothole City_

Nicole appeared right next to the two intruders.

"Shadow the Hedgehog." Nicole stated, unsurprised. "Returning from your quest?"

Nicole scanned the guest and approached him cautiously. "An overlander?"

Nate Morgan looked to Shadow who had just folded his arms.

"Nathan Morgan, I presume." Nicole bowed. "I've consulted your past work many times doctor."

"It's good to be recognized by such a beautiful girl." Nate complimented.

"Flattering as it may seem my appearance is litigated by however I see fit."

Nicole shifted to look a large dragon, then an ant, and finally a copy of Nate Morgan himself. Nate eyed her up a bit as Shadow started to proceed into the city.

"What brings you into the city this night Shadow?" Nicole asked, "Knothole possesses no Chaos Emeralds at the time and bureaucratic interests of the king doesn't suit you. The percentages of you being here without purpose is highly unlikely."

"I want to have Nate free from exile and stationed here in Knothole, in the meantime I want to find out who ransacked his home in the Southern Tundra."

Nicole motioned and split into two. "Dr. Nate Morgan follow me I will show you to your new home."

"What kind of person are you?" Nate asked.

"I am the holorealmatic moderator of the city, Nicole."

Shadow nodded in agreement while letting Nate down from his shoulder. Shadow handed Nate the suitcase and Nicole lead him away. The second Nicole had Shadow walk with her.

"Shadow, we understand what you have done to and for Knothole these past years. Although some would mark you a criminal and others would mark you a savior, Sally Acorn and I have sought to come to an understanding with you."

"An understanding? My allegiance lies with no country, I'm only here to proclaim myself as the ultimate life form."

"And in no way would we want to contradict your proclamations but we would like to offer you a permanent residence within these walls as well as clearance from all crimes."

"Offers like these don't come cheap." Shadow folded his arms. "What does Knothole want from me?"

Nicole stopped and pointed at the tree. It was large and brown with spring green leaves along the beaten path of the city. Then the tree opened and Nicole directed Shadow towards it again.

"Answers lie within."

Shadow just stared at Nicole, wondering if this was some kind of trap he was getting into. Shadow approached and entered the tree. Nicole shut the bark-covered door behind him and fizzled away. Shadow slid down the tube and unfurled from ball mode. He crouched and looked around finding Nicole yet again.

"This is Freedom HQ, a sanctuary for the Freedom Fighters to delegate missions and information for the protection of Knothole." Nicole directed Shadow into the mission room and he apprehensively followed.

Nicole continued. "Knothole has come to a point where it needs every ally it can get especially with a dark cloud looming over us."

"Thank you Nicole." King Elias stepped into the room. "But I can handle things from here."

"You're majesty." Shadow stated with an air of sarcasm.

"Good evening Shadow, I'm glad you were able to come here in our time of need. I intended to send a party for you but here you are at our doorstep."

"Don't act like I'm just something that waits on you hand and foot. I have trouble trusting the crown ever since King Max died."

"And that is a legacy I will dare try to match but I will not have that luxury should a war impede it."

"War?"

"Yes Shadow," Nicole added. "It's the reason we've brought you here."

"In so many words, Station Square has plotted to take our secrets while making us look like a kingdom of fumbling buffoons."

Shadow gave a small chuckle. "Seems about right to me."

"As King of Knothole, Shadow I'm offering you a chance to act freely within our government so long as you become a part of the Freedom Fighters and help fight in this doomed war."

Shadow was the least bit interested.

"I realize I haven't much to offer especially with resources the way they are-"

"I will do it." Shadow looked at the King.

Elias and Nicole shared a momentary pause.

"I was sure we were going to need weeks of convincing, this is not the Shadow the Hedgehog I have studied."Nicole calculated.

"That's because I'm turning over a new leaf; through Nate Morgan I've understood that each individual life form has something to offer. I've watched Sonic the Hedgehog go on without doubts in his mind and with the full assurance he can rely on the people around him. All this time I have been a loner, carrying my own weight and it's only gotten me fifty-million. Over these past few months I've come to eventually respect Sonic like the other side of the same coin. I will join the Freedom Fighters."

King Elias was stunned.

Shadow the Hedgehog was truly one for the theatrics and the surprises. Nicole simply analyzed the conversation and would add this to her list of things to study. Shadow slammed his hands on the table.

"So when do I start?"

Elias looked at Nicole and then back at the black hedgehog. "Umm, they're on an away mission to Casino Night, none of them has checked in yet-"

"I will provide backup then. Nicole brief me on the way back to the surface!"

Nicole lead Shadow from the headquarters as King Elias was still shocked from the situation. Shadow had joined Knothole and the Freedom Fighters easily - a little too easy. Shadow, in the past, always held his personal goals above all else, but with this so-called new leaf would he betray them again. A war with Station Square would surely bring his true nature out. Had Elias made the right choice?

Only time would tell.

Elias pulled out a roll of parchment paper and started to personally write a message.

_Shadow appeared in Casino Night Zone, fully aware of the situation_

Shadow appeared next to Tails, Amy, Cream, and the incapacitated Rouge.

Shadow didn't expect to see the closest lady in his life trapped in augmented reality. Tails slammed Shadow with an unexpected punch and sent the hedgehog flying.

"Shadow?" Amy questioned, before getting into a stance.

"Sonic and Sally are missing, Mammoth Mogul is off the grid, and now we have to deal with old emo here, great." Cream sighed. "Another day another villain to take down, I guess."

"Amy get Mina to safety!" Tails ordered. "Cream you take Rouge and go too. I can take Shadow."

"A spate of confidence from the fox but I doubt you could best me." Shadow landed in the street across from the others. "If I wanted a battle you'd already be dead... I came to aid. From what I understand you're going to need all the help you can get against Mammoth Mogul."

"He's trying to deceive us!" Tails yelled. "Stand your ground."

"Those methods are beneath me now." Shadow tossed a scroll to Tails and folded his arms. The golden fox looked smugly at the black hedgehog who just stared at him with those scarlet eyes. Tails directed his attention to the scroll, opening it slowly and catching the gloss of the King's seal.

"Knothole approved of this?" Tails threw down the scroll. Cream controlled the scroll into her hands and read it aloud.

"Due to the direness of Knothole's current situation we are starting to recruit all the help we can get." King Elias' note read. "For now the most crucial piece is Shadow the Hedgehog. Somehow through an odd set of circumstances he has convincingly sided with us for the moment. I hurriedly scribe this note to inform you he is our ally but a close eye wouldn't hurt. Add Shadow to your mission, I'm well aware each of you know his abilities so add him to where you see fit. Your King, Elias Acorn."

"Well ain't this a kick in the balls." Cream smiled.

Tails wasn't so accepting though, his fury causing him to shake in response to the letter.

"Well Shadow, welcome to the Freedom Fighters." Amy shrugged.

Tails gritted his teeth and tightened his fists. Shadow was everything evil with the world - consumed by selfishness and greed, he was not to be trusted. Tails didn't understand the additions that were made, which made him question the smile of everyone around him. Then the golden fox, in a moment of zen, smiled like he had figured everything out. He had nearly forgotten his plan of action.

Rouge snapped from her hypnotic state, breathing in a huge amount of air.

"Rouge!" Amy screamed

"Mammoth Mogul is down!" she said, still groggy from the illusions she saw.

"Rouge are you okay?" asked Mina.

"I'm fine, at least I will be, darling." Rouge got to her feet. "Mina, we're you hurt?"

"I'm fine Rouge, really, just a little freaked out." she explained.

Shadow chimed in. "I've located Mammoth's Chaos Energy signal, it's weak but... Everyone get in close."

The ladies hesitated a bit but then got within four or five feet while Tails stood opposite Shadow. Tails went from a deathly grimace to a devilish smile and closed in on the black hedgehog.

"You're not going to warp us to a volcano are you?" Tails asked.

"I'm still on the fence." Shadow said. Tails got within range as Shadow closed his eyes. "Chaos Control."

The Freedom Fighters appeared at the gates to Robotropolis and noticed Mammoth Mogul's body instantly and the case right across from him. Shadow fell to a knee with Rouge holding him steady.

"Well darling, I knew you'd eventually come around."

"Around to what?" Shadow questioned.

"Fighting for something other than yourself."

"I'm just here to find out who tormented my friend." Shadow stood back up. The toll of multiple Chaos Controls over vast distances was tearing him down. He had enough energy for three major teleportations. Amy and Cream examined Mammoth Mogul as Tails picked up the case.

"I thought Sonic and Sally were going to be here?" Mina looked around, "That was part of the plan right?"

The others focused on the subject at hand which was a downed Mogul in the streets of Casino Night.

"He's got a nasty gash in the back of his head, his immortality healing powers are already working but he's going to be a couple days."

"Old ivory here's got a weak spot huh?" Cream folded her arms. "Good to know."

"Something else that's good to know." Tails read some of the first few pages. "These are contracts. Evidence linking the assassination and the Destructix back to Mogul. But then there's this large one at the back..."

"Let me see." Rouge was handed the big blue packet. Paper clipped to the front was a note which Rouge read aloud.

"By the time you're done reading this I will have conquered."

The Freedom Fighters looked at each other.

"What does it mean?" asked Amy.

"The case is a plant. Mammoth Mogul was working with someone." Shadow stated. The Freedom Fighters looked to Shadow who was deep in thought. "And I think I know who."

**Next time we return to Sonic and Sally facing the dreaded Metal Sonic in the next issue of the epic series, Sonic 51. Read & Review and don't forget to go to /starsquadenterprises to hear my instrumental album "Seven Deadly X's". Farewell Freedom Fighters.**


	38. Win or Die!

"Sonic." Sally's voice called.

Sonic awoke.

His head throbbing and his body bruised from the brutal beating. Metal Sonic had reared his ugly head and as a result caught the hedgehog off guard.

"Sally!" Sonic exclaimed leaping to his feet and touching his ear. The ear bud from before had become Sally's last beacon of hope. Sonic was on his feet worried and angered he let Metal get away with this.

"Sonic I don't know if I'll have a lot of time to get you here but I'll try my best. I'm in Robotropolis. Somewhere near the Oil Ocean past the former Hill Top Zone. I'm strapped down to a column next to a set of monitors on some sort of platform. That's all I can see."

"Sal I'm on my way, just hang tight."

"Sonic I love you so much!"

"I'm coming to get you Sal, stay with me."

Sonic blasted away through the electric gates of Robotropolis tripping alarms and alerting swat bots of his entry. He didn't care. The love of his life was in danger and the only way he knew to rescue her was to become his name and speed off. Sonic Wind gave him the boost he needed making short work of this long trek. In the past, Sonic leisurely ran through these zones but now with his woman at stake things were going to need a swifter approach. Sonic skipped the entrance of the Mystic Cave Zone simply because of what was built before him.

"Stardust Speedway..." Sonic read, "Remix?"

On top of the Mystic Cave Zone was a huge slick track filled with boosts, loops, spirals, and straight-aways. Sonic knew exactly what this was; it was Metals full purpose, the underlying theme of the robots existence.

To prove he was faster than the real thing.

Sonic looked to the top of the sign where Metal Sonic just watched him. Lightning struck behind him with the menacing red eyes staring at Sonic. Metal simply dropped to the ground and walked right next to the blue hog. Punching this thing would have no effect and spurring him on with insults would be useless. Sonic hated this guy but the goal was clear and it was the former princess.

"What do you want with Sally?"

Metal Sonic just tapped his ear.

"Sonic!" Sally chimed in again. "There's something on the monitors... it's a... message to you."

"Sal? Sal!"

Sally sighed. "It says... you will be racing for my life. If you lose I die..."

"Sal!"

"If anyone else interferes, I die. If you cheat, I die. If you win Sonic, then you will die."

Sonic glared at Metal Sonic and slammed his body. Metal just stood solidly and threw the hedgehog off him. Sonic planted his stance again as Sally calmly accepted the results.

"Sonic, no!" Sally stated. "Don't win this thing just for me... You have a lot more to offer than I do..."

"I don't believe that Sally, you gave me everything I have and so much more. I'd rather see you free than to live a life without you."

"Sonic!"

"Sally, I love you, take care of my children, be the great woman you've always been. You're the Hero of Knothole now."

Sonic took out his ear bud and tossed it to the ground.

"Alright you hunk of junk, you got your wish! I'll race you! My life for hers!"

Metal Sonic simply nodded figuring his ultimate speed would finally be recognized. Stardust Speedway sprang to life, with the flood lights above activating and ominous music pumping through the speakers. The lights on the side of the road lit up and moved forward like lights on the side of a marquee. Metal directed Sonic to follow and they approached the starting area - a large bunker with a digital screen as a floor. Sonic began to run in place, stretch both his legs, do a few squats, and then tapped his toes on the ground. Metal just started to whir his engines as he hugged the starting line. There were two Tulsa towers streaming electricity across the starting line as the countdown began. Once the numbers counted to the zero, presumably, the electric gate would release and the two racers would be off. Sonic nodded and stepped back. The clock read twenty seconds and then started counting down. This race would not only prove Metal's mettle but also Sonic's will to strive for victory. Sally's life was on the line and the only way to keep his promise and keep her safe was to make a sacrifice. The clock read ten seconds and Sonic crouched down. Metal Sonic's engines whirred louder as Sonic placed his arms on the ground. A green bar rushed underneath him on the digital screen. The timer was in the form of the bar and Sonic realized this. All he had to do was time it. Five seconds left and Sonic built up a decent running speed, just enough to project him into high velocity. Three seconds left and Sonic neared the gate. One second left and Metal Sonic passed through the electricity officially marking him as a cheater. At exactly zero seconds the horn sounded and only one participant was off. Sonic screeched trying to halt himself but slammed right into the electricity. His speed powered him through the jarring shock but he was down again. It occurred to him just like last time that Metal Sonic would do anything to win. Three seconds later the electricity stopped and the green light came on. Metal Sonic had a huge five-second window of relaxation and in this race for life and death, it would be the difference maker.

Sonic got to his feet and started a jog. He passed a jog and got to a run easily besting three-hundred miles an hour. Sonic dug in and expended an 'extra life' giving him the energy to press on which obviously showed. Sonic was at five-hundred miles an hour - cruising speed - when the track became clear to him. This was going to lead them to the heart of Robotropolis most likely where Sally is. Sonic entered a large loop and slowed to three-fifty to get up the gravity-defying construct. Then the loop spiraled and aimed straight down into the mystic caves. Sonic curled into a ball instantly getting up to six-hundred and smashing into a heavy-duty springboard. Sonic darted through the air and the landed on a jump pad - the first of six. Sonic bounded from the stationed pads on sturdy stalagmites. Then he landed on the thin track of the Mystic Caves and darted ahead. The track was like a dragon's back with its hills and dips with a sharp left turn. Sonic took the curve and spiraled down like water in a drain. Sonic passed through an already broken away wall which Metal Sonic had passed through into a huge underground cavern. The Mystic Caves were nothing compared to this Hidden Palace Zone. Sonic didn't have time to gawk and explore, he had a woman to save. Sonic sped at an even five-hundred when he came across a huge chasm with glowing crystals at the bottom. Sonic jumped and landed on a floating platform and leapt up to the top of the precipice. Sonic gripped the edge and quickly put himself over. He curled into a ball and spun while reeling in huge amounts of air. The Gale Spin Dash would help him close the gap between he and Metal. Sonic blinked away, the sound barrier ripping to shreds behind him leaving just silence in his own ears. Sonic skipped past many obstacles and other chasms until his gale wore off and he closed in on the massive palace. Sonic was growing tired already but the thought of Metal laying a hand on Sally sickened him.

Sonic dug in and got back up to six-hundred entering the palace at high speed. The palace track was tightly wound, with sharp turns, hard angles, and acute turns. Sonic had to stop and angle every time to get a good angle to blast. Luckily, Metal Sonic was having the same problem. Moving at such speed had its disadvantages but Sonic never complained. Sonic zeroed in Metal's high screech engines and determined he was but a few miles away. Sonic was in the process of climbing the tower while racing the track and staying on Metal Sonic's tail. Soon as Sonic reached the highest tower of the Hidden Palace, the track turned from hard angles to smooth upward spirals. High up in the spiral Metal Sonic was just exiting the pinnacle onto the next series. Sonic clinched his hands and built up more wind around him. The smooth spirals were going to be cake with a Sonic Wind aiding him along. Sonic jettisoned his body up to the top with immense speed - the sound barrier again was in shambles behind him. From the highest tower there was a straight incline up through the Mystic Caves. Keeping feet on the track was very difficult especially when it started to curve against Sonic's favor. Sonic could finally keep an eye on Metal Sonic who was hovering over the track barely touching the surface. The two were upside down now, running along the roof of the caves dodging the spikes of the caves roof. Then the track started to twist as the mouth of the Mystic Caves was revealed. Metal and Sonic were in a constant twist from the spiral of the track. Sonic veered left to right with each dip building up huge amounts of momentum that Metal simply could not. Then the track shot up going into a multi-spiral loop over the Oil Ocean Zone. Sonic tied up with Metal just as the spirals - working in the blurs favor - gave out. It was a straight course now with Metal and Sonic side by side.

"Why take Sally? Why make her involved? Why come after me through all this time?"

Metal faced Sonic and started hovering backwards. Then SWATbots started to swarm from the sides. Sonic jumped to dodge a laser fire and lost speed in the process. Metal Sonic returned to his forward position and powered through the slick course of the pollution.

Sonic gritted his teeth and smashed all of them with super speed Homing Attack. The scraps of the robots fell to the wayside as Sonic pushed himself to his current limit, seven-hundred twenty miles an hour. Sonic approached the rounded steps of the course with abundant speed and eventually passed Metal Sonic with a flurry of whipping wind. Metal Sonic was thrown off balance, shaking amid the wind resistance and finally tanking into the guardrails. Metal slammed his hand onto the ground and pulled himself up. After prolonged speed, Metal Sonic did not accelerate well. Initial Bursts were great but drained his power cell. He would need the rest of his power for the long stretch at the end of Oil Ocean. Metal Sonic finally approached one-hundred miles an hour with a little bit to go until gear twelve kicked in - thirty-eight more to go before top speed.

Sonic took a winding loop and then a vertical path into a tunnel deep into the oily depths. The lights on the side were all that Sonic could rely on as they quickly spiraled. Sonic felt the rush of adrenaline and traveled past his top speed. Anxious to have this over and done with. The track finally leveled again and then berthed into a wide clearing with three tunnel mouths. Sonic acted quickly and took the right grazing his shoulder against the sidewall and nearly spinning out. Sonic dropped to a good three-hundred when he darted to maintain an even five. Metal Sonic got into the three-mouth tunnel and chose left. Since he designed this course he knew the short cuts - and the right tunnel was definitely the long way. Metal stuck to the short cut with hopes of finally fending off the so-called fastest hedgehog.

The three tunnels were all actually huge banking turns to the left – the left tunnel being the shortest one and the right being the longest. Metal sprang out in front of Sonic a mile away headed up another vertical rise. Sonic couldn't determine if he was going to make this one or not. Safe or sorry he expended his 'extra life' and felt the results immediately. The vertical rise and the natural gravity still played against the grounded hog as Metal Sonic hovered his stretch way out. Sonic looked ahead and saw Metal high up in the sky.

Did the track run out?

Sonic blasted himself up after Metal. The two soared high into the smog of Robotropolis. They could see the ravaged ocean of motor oil and transmission fluid amid the machinery and technology Robotropolis provided. Metal Sonic swung a kick but Sonic predicted it and grabbed the machine. Sonic spun and threw the bot behind him, plunging for the vertical track below. Sonic aimed for the large ramp he would land on and readied himself. Metal Sonic's engine whirred and then he blasted himself on the right path. Metal landed on the track first with Sonic right behind him. Sonic and Metal kept an even pace for a good five miles when Metal started to slow down. That last Initial Burst cost him the power to make it across the finish in time. Metal started to beep when spikes emerged from the track. Sonic screeched to veer left and right, he wasn't expecting a full on needle barrage. Still he jumped over the spikes and was happy he did because another set was just in landing distance. Metal Sonic just increased his altitude and hovered perfectly over the traps. Sonic was still playing it safe at four-hundred while Metal cruised at five-hundred and dropping. Sonic could tell he was close to the end when he saw the density of the pollution grow thicker. The center of Robotropolis was getting closer and so was Sally.

Sonic stopped.

He was among the fresh white spikes searching his Chaos Energy. "There's only one thing faster than raw speed and even though I hate to admit it, I'm going to use a trick from my true faker, Shadow."

Sonic revealed the two Chaos Emeralds and held them in both hands. He put his own energy into the emeralds and searched out a destination. Sonic could feel the emeralds vibrating and coming to life in his palms.

"Chaos Control!" Sonic disappeared.

Metal Sonic was just a mile away from the finish line barely over two-hundred but trudging along. The spike assault was the perfect thing to slow down that hog and Metal Sonic would finally prove himself as the only fastest thing alive. Metal Sonic's Chaos Energy readings went haywire from a massive source traveling past him at insane speed.

Sonic the Hedgehog, holding two Chaos Emeralds in each hand, appeared just before the finish line. Sonic immediately crossed the line fell to his knees, feeling the effects of Hyper Sonic and Chaos Reentry at the same time. Sonic voided his stomach as Metal Sonic stood over him.

His menacing red eyes just watched this blue hedgehog with programmed spite and malice.

Sonic wiped his mouth and stood up to face his enemy. His eyes were extremely blurry and it felt like he'd been through a washing machine. There was a sound in the back calling for him while Metal Sonic walked around the Hero of Knothole and the winner of the race.

"Sonic!" Sally yelled.

The hedgehog finally got a grip and turned around. Sally was blurry but he could see she was tied up against her will. Metal Sonic stood next to her flaring his claws. Sonic pitifully ran to Metal Sonic to try and stop him. Sonic fell before Metal's feet and the robot just stopped.

Moments passed.

Sally was silent throughout hoping not to make the situation more intense. Behind them the track started to shut down, lights went out, the music stopped, as it all started to collapse. The track itself was a digital projection of the side guards, which became solid to be able to walk upon and produce the spikes. Sally started to speak when Metal turned her way. The evil robot ripped Sally from the chains and threw her on the ground. Sally rolled to a stop when she looked back and saw Metal Sonic chaining Sonic up to his position. Monitors slid up from the ground with Sonic's face blinking and the word winner along with it. The robot slapped Sonic across the face officially waking him up. The robot stepped back and made sure he was seen. Metal Sonic clinched his fists but turned his back on the blue hog and focused on Sally.

"You may have won Sonic, but you lose it all here." Metal Sonic approached Sally. "Your friendship with the fox, your sense of duty, your girlfriend. All shambles in mere seconds. The Hero of Knothole will witness it all fall down."

"Sally!" Sonic struggled within the tight grip of the chains.

Metal grabbed her hair and threw her down to the ground. Metal Sonic started to assault defenseless Sally. The hits were light in comparison to the tougher ones Metal started to disperse once he was assured Sally wasn't going to get up. Metal reeled back and slammed Sally again in her chest. The former princess rolled across the ground, helpless from the beating.

Metal Sonic just looked at his counterpart.

"Sally!" Sonic struggled. "I'm going to rip you apart! Metal!"

Sonic struggled in the chains again. Metal approached Sonic again and slapped him harder than last time. Metal shrugged his shoulders and turned back to the princess. Sally was holding her chest, tears falling from her eyes, the pain insurmountable and the final promise broken. Sally was fighting for her life ever since Metal Sonic appeared. The robot kicked Sally down and bludgeoned her with his fists.

"SALLY!" Sonic erupted from the chains.

Metal didn't have any time to look before his head was completely lopped off. Sonic came around again and this time the body was split in half then fourths then sixteenths. The arms just blasted into powder as Sonic ceased his blink-of-an-eye rampage. The hedgehog's temper had finally surfaced, the whole situation finally surmounting to the fore - his broken friendship with Tails, his failure to protect Knothole, the frustration of memory loss, the deception in his own home, his parents roboticizing, the loss of so many innocents, the love of his life...

Dark Sonic stood over the ash remains of what was Metal Sonic two milliseconds ago. The head of the doppelganger robot finally hit the ground and rolled for a bit.

Purple energy surrounded the Navy blue hedgehog as his eyes were deepened to a forest green. His stomach and arms were yellow-orange than peach and the sinister smile he wore made it all come together. Sally opened her eyes briefly and watched from her position on the ground.

"...Shadow?" she whispered, barely able to stay audible. A moment later, she realized it was Sonic. He was heading down a path of anger and resentment, things he had been holding back for over six months now. Sally started to understand things on a deeper level. Hyper Sonic was the gateway to his real emotions and if he wasn't true to himself or others then the result would be Dark Sonic.

Dark Sonic faced her way and stood over her.

"You are not the boss of me Princess!" Dark Sonic's deeper voice called.

"Sonic, I know that's not you!" Sally calmly stated amid her injuries.

"I'm tired of you thinking you're smarter than me! I've put up with your know-it-all attitude for so long and I think it's time we put it to rest."

Sally was not wavering, she mustered up the strength and courage to sit upright, get to her knees, and finally to her feet. She stumbled a bit but ultimately stood among Dark Sonic's hateful lust.

"Sonic." Sally approached him slowly.

"I'll kill you!" Dark Sonic spat.

Sally exhaled and stepped in to hug him. "No you won't. You said you would keep your promise. And you still have."

Dark Sonic blinked away. The purple aura vanished and the navy discoloration lifted back to true blue. Sally held Sonic tightly making sure every bit of the incarnation was gone. Sally exhaled again letting a tear fall from her eye. Her man was back, the Hero of Knothole had returned to normal.

Sonic fell to his knees, groaning in the process. "Ugh my head." Sonic felt his nose. "Blood?"

"Dark Sonic..." Sally shook her head.

"Are you okay?" Sonic grabbed her arm. "I didn't hurt you did I? Sal I'm so sorry."

"It's okay Sonic, I'm fine. I'm better than you think."

Sonic sighed. "I'm glad. Never again will I let my emotions come out of me like that. Metal Sonic and everything else was enough to push me that far into darkness, and I almost lost you because of it."

"Sonic, I'm fine... I took care of things." Sally helped Sonic up. "I think it's good that you let your emotions out Sonic. Look what happened when you bottled them up. Anyway, we need to get out of here. I tried to radio the others but long distance communication doesn't work that well here."

"Sally." Sonic called. "I love you."

The former princess turned his way when he kissed her. The platform Sonic and Sally stood on protruded gates all around the sides. The two were locked in a passionate kiss until they felt a moment of rising. Sonic didn't have the energy to speed off and Sally was worn out as well. The platform lifted to the polluted sky and headed directly for the central control of Robotropolis, the Egg Dome. Sally and Sonic shared a look as they swiftly approached the landing platform of the high ellipsis building. The platform smoothly landed and the guarding sank down into the sides. Lightning snapped beyond them as they shared another ominous look.

"It's been a long time..." a voice called. "Rodent."

Sonic's eyes widened.

He immediately expended an extra life and left Sally in the dust. The room ahead was dark as Sally peered into the blinded quarters. Then a buzzing sound occurred and the lights started to return. From the back to the front, Sally watched as the silhouettes got more detailed with each flash of the lights.

Click!

The final light activated, giving extreme detail to the picturesque moment before Sally's eyes.

"Doctor Robotnik..." Sally barely voiced. Her fur tingled and her mouth became dry. It was like seeing a ghost and her complexion paled because of it. Sonic, however, was right in front of the luster of a true gem of beauty.

A Chaos Emerald.

A real one.

"Stand down, rodent." the evil despot spat. "Your girlfriend dies if you don't follow action."

Sonic finally noticed the huge laser rifle pointed at the former princess. Sonic stepped back, protecting his future wife from any other harm.

"Yo Sal," Sonic gritted his teeth.

"Yea?"

"I think I finally remember who this guy is." Sonic tightened his fists.

Dr. Robotnik stood up from his chair and graced the floor with his presence – the gleaming brilliance of a Chaos Emerald in one hand and the savage artillery of a laser rifle in the next.

What evil had the doctor concocted after so long?


	39. Revival

"Back among the living I see," Dr. Ivo Robotnik stated, "Rodent."

The despotic dictator clinched the laser rifle a little tighter.

Sally was being protected by Sonic the Hedgehog who stood in direct waves of the Chaos Emerald Ivo was holding.

"I can say the same for you, Robuttnik!" Sonic spat.

The doctor smiled a bit before tossing the Chaos Emerald up and down. Robotnik's mere presence struck fear into the hearts of many Mobians. Not one citizen who'd been alive through the first ten year siege will tell a story of victory and triumph over the Empire. Robotnik had taken so much from so many people and was happy and elated to do it again. He would enslave, control, manipulate, or downright beat you until he got his controlling ways. Now this true villain had returned already holding a piece of the seven-part puzzle.

Robotnik took a step closer revealing his attire. He wore a blood red lab coat with four yellow buttons on his protruding stomach. There were stripes leading away and around from the buttons with a white zipper heading straight down. His pants were black fitted around his skinny legs with armored boots on his feet. Over his whole wardrobe was a jet black overcoat with plating on the arms and chest. Robotnik's head was still bald with grey goggles on top. His signature orange mustache was extensive but added with the new goatee made him a little more menacing. The grey studs over his ears were gone and his normal ears out in the open. There were small round glasses graced the tip of his wasted nose but what really made the two paralyze were his eyes. Solid black corneas never reflecting any light and crimson eyes signifying the thousands of victims who's blood he had shed. He looked over Sonic with complete lust to kill especially with Sonic's words jumbling in his ears

"I recall such insulting terminology, great enemy of mine, but it will not get to me just like how Metal Sonic so easily got to you."

Sonic dug in a little deeper.

"Ah ah ah, you move and she gets a chest full of searing artillery, an even trade off don't you agree?"

"You should be dead!" Sally exclaimed, still not accepting his loathsome presence. "The Ultimate Annihilator-"

"Eradicated all traces of my DNA therefore leaving no possible evidence that I might be dead! Yes, princess! We all know! I believe most everyone here has an intelligence quality well over three-hundred no doubt..."

Robotnik just smiled; he knew he was _the _most intelligent man on the planet and boasting is something he did rather well among other things. Doctor Robotnik started to giggle and laugh and then burst into a few belting, insane cackles then back to dead seriousness.

"Have you figured it out yet?" Ivo questioned. "Has the mystery unraveled yet?"

"You got one more time Robuttnik!"

"And I will expend my final time in a few short moments after I've wallowed in your misery my dear hedgehog, oh, I will not forget these next few moments."

Sonic wanted to dash straight through the villain with everything he had but Sally would be left alone. The hedgehog would just have to wait to find a moment to strike. Robotnik, no matter how much he talked or how much he moved, the rifle was always pointed towards Sally and those crimson eyes on Sonic.

"Mammoth Mogul was merely a pawn." Ivo started. "My pawn!"

Sally focused on his words. "But..."

"In the shadows I have been working, princess," Ivo stated. "From the King's Coronation announcement, your preparations, Shadow's little noble quest, the fake emeralds, even your relationship. And having children out of wedlock, shame on you two!"

"You're in no position to be judgmental!"

"Actually, rodent, I will be! Ever since Elias has taken the crown, I've been leading up to this moment in history. My former self did it with the Acorn Kingdom and the Great War and I will do it with Station Square and Knothole."

"Another genocide!" Sally screamed.

"Genocide? What fun is in that?" Robotnik started to sit back down, his weight winding him for a spell. "Nonetheless, Elias was never really to die in his so-called assassination but merely to be on alert. Mammoth Mogul was the key to my own success, which is why he received a lump sum of financial stability to fund his Free World Alliance. Mogul accepted the payment from my agent Metal Sonic who in turn would ask Mogul to do something in return for him.

"On the King's Coronation, Elias was never truly meant to be killed but merely to be on alert. At the same time, the Destructix were to engage the Freedom Fighters tying their arrival with Mammoth Mogul's and Elias took the bait like a child to chocolate. Tell me how obsessive did your rookie king become?"

Sally looked away. She too was caught in the storm of Robotnik's design. No one had a chance to look beyond things and discover it to be Robotnik.

"I will retrieve an answer later I suppose. Nonetheless the plan started without a hitch, the Freedom Fighters were off on a mission to Casinopolis to go undercover and find Mammoth knee deep in dealings. However you were going to expose things prematurely so I had Metal Sonic destroy Twinkle Park - a small sacrifice for the greater evil but necessary nonetheless."

"You monster!" Sonic spat.

"Appreciated rodent!" Robotnik aimed at Sonic. "I should kill the both of you this instant but what good will my plan be if the people aren't educated on it. Speaking of education I had learned Shadow was in the Southern Tundra chatting with my old mentor. His vast Chaos Energy acted as a beacon for me to finally find Nate Morgan. I had Metal Sonic take Nate's research and leave him for dead, which became an added bonus to my exploits. While you avoided capture rodent, I sought my repayment from Mammoth Mogul while tampering with Mina Mongoose's schedule. Again, King Elias flocked to it - ignorant and unintelligent as an animal is. You all followed blind into my veil playing your parts to perfection. Once you stole the case, I knew my time to step into the light was coming close so I had Metal Sonic intercept and capture Sally. Sonic would run headlong into my trap without backup and Metal would kill the both of you having restrained one and tiring out the other.

"The track which you raced your life on rodent, was a double sided sword. Although it was the ground you ran upon, it also powered something, which I was working on - my true mission in all of this. However, Metal Sonic was supposed to be here to live through all of this but something else happened, right Dark Sonic? I've never seen you so worked up before rodent, tell me did everything start coming down around you?"

Sonic darted for Robotnik but the villain was ready. He fired his laser and managed to clip Sally's shoulder. Sonic slammed into Robotnik's head and zoomed back to Sally before any other damage was done.

"Sal, are you okay!"

"Sonic! Control yourself! You said you were going to protect me!" Sally screamed.

Sonic was hyperventilating; the stress was starting to come back, the pressure of being a hero while protecting those around him. He couldn't handle it again then he looked to the Chaos Emerald and his anxiety waned away.

"Fake... Emeralds..." Sonic stated.

Robotnik just laughed.

"You planted the fake emeralds!" Sonic pointed.

"And the last horse crosses the finish line. Swift in the leg but slow in the head, as they say. Yes, I brilliantly planted the fakes in place of the real ones arousing no further suspicion. Had I known they would trigger ones inborn emotions then I would have accounted for it, I guess that's a Theory of Chaos for some other time. Nonetheless I needed the real emeralds for something much grander than a switch. Mammoth Mogul, Knothole, Station Square, the Freedom Fighters and you two were all underneath the umbrella of my domination. Much like a deity I will pass judgment onto all those who I deem unworthy and unfortunately it is all of you."

"What about the briefcase?" Sally asked. "Those contracts-"

"Were more forgeries giving evidence connecting Mogul to everything. I couldn't be absolved to any of the crimes my dear, as lord over all I have to keep an air of cleanliness."

"You twisted demented freak!" Sally exclaimed.

"Compliments, a rare treasure from the princess no doubt." Robotnik set the Chaos Emerald to the side as his big mechanical chair swallowed up the gem. Ivo pressed some buttons on his chair. "Let's go for a ride!"

Sonic and Sally dropped through a tube from the floor they were standing on. The two held hands as they slid down a good fifty feet. Sonic scooped Sally up in his arms when they landed in darkened room.

"You two won't be down there alone, I've got some company for you." Dr. Robotnik's nasty voice blared through the speakers. Sonic and Sally heard a door opening on the other side of the room as the lights panned on. The door opened with a black silhouette standing inside.

_The Freedom Fighters plan their next move_

Shadow continued. "I think I know who's behind it."

The ground rumbled throwing all of the Freedom Fighters to the ground. The buildings of Casino Night Zone started shifting side to side and many came tumbling down.

A massive earthquake shook the island.

Rouge put a Crystal Shell around them to protect them from things falling around them. Cream Controlled the Crystal and made it soar over into the flatter region of Robotropolis. Trash and junk was scattered everywhere while the Freedom Fighters settled down. Rouge broke down her Crystal and panted from the strain.

"I haven't been this worked out since my last midnight rendezvous."

"That was so long ago right?" Cream rolled her eyes.

"We need to get back to Knothole. The sooner we can clear Knothole's name the better." Tails commanded.

"Is everyone going to be okay here?" asked Mina.

"We can't guarantee it, Mina, but we'll be back to help these people out."

"I want to go to Knothole with you guys." Mina latched onto Tails. "I feel safe with Tails and the Freedom Fighters."

Shadow was on alert looking around and making sure nothing was going to ambush them. Tails asked to be let go as he approached Shadow and cleared his throat. The black hedgehog just folded his arms.

"I'm going to be blunt about things Shadow, I hate you." Tails started. "If you think for a second I'm just going to openly trust you then you're dead wrong. I will be the one keeping an eye on you and if you slip up one time, one mistake, and it's death by lightning do you understand."

Shadow didn't back down. "I understand that you are still but a boy, talking, barking, yelping to try and get your point across when no action has been made. I am a man of action and what I do and mostly what I say I put one-hundred percent into it. You know of my efficiency because I destroyed your home. When I say I'm on this team, it means my entire resolve and no fox will dare talk to me like that again, do you understand me?"

Tails and Shadow stared at each other for a long time.

"Shadow." Tails commanded. "Get us home."

The black hedgehog chuckled one time and closed his arms.

"Wait..." Amy called.

"What is it pinky?" Cream rolled her eyes.

"Don't you guys feel that?" she asked.

"The emeralds." Tails, Shadow, and Rouge stated.

"But we've got emeralds of our own..." Amy concluded.

"Hmm... I don't like this feeling..." Cream looked to the sky. As soon as she saw it the air erupted with powerful gales. The team was thrown back into mounds of junk and scrap. The clouds above were an ominous black with lightning occasionally streaming across. Robotropolis was in complete stupor and the Freedom Fighters were completely and utterly shocked to see this contraption for a second time.

"Ark?" Shadow questioned.

"No." Tails stepped next to him. "It's _his_ best work, The Death Egg."

Amy and Cream were petrified. They'd heard stories about this endeavoring vessel but to see it was another thing. They were shaking, feeling themselves getting sick as a result. Amy started to tearing up, wondering if she was dreaming or this was the real thing. Clinched her fists tightly trying to bring herself out of it through pain but she failed. This was the reality she was facing. Cream was paralyzed with only her knees knocking together from fear. All the horrible truths came together at once, with Robotnik's life restored, the Death Egg, and they want of her mother. Vanilla would always comfort the young rabbit in times of need and this would prove exceptional. The young women feared for their lives and the lives of others. Who would it target? What would it target? How many would suffer?

Tails just stepped forward - no fear, no worries, no hint of anxiety. Inside he was a mess but he showed it well. He was leader at this time and he wouldn't fall to shambles because of some flying harbinger of the greatest doom befalling Mobius. Shadow helped up Rouge who was in awe of the thing too. Although she had lived through the first appearance, she dreaded a second. Shadow was simply unaware of the danger, having been released after the events of Project: Endgame but before crumbling of Acorn's Kingdom. The Freedom Fighters barely had the means to go on but they were going to try and make the best of things.

"I'd bet everything Sonic and Sally are aboard that thing." Tails looked to his team.

The others nodded.

"Shadow-"

"I know... I'll get us aboard the vessel although it will be harder passing through the hull."

Shadow nodded to Rouge while lifting his hands. The sexy agent returned her nod and grabbed his wrists.

"It's going to take this much power?"

"It will." Shadow gave finality. "The two emeralds I'm holding are not the real thing. They're weighing me down considerably now."

"Fake emeralds!" Tails turned.

"That explains my sudden illness." Cream folded her arms and coughed a bit.

"Of all things making fake emeralds is one of the most treacherous despicable things-" Rouge went off. "Ahem I mean with the Death Egg on top of the list..."

"We're going to the belly of the beast." Tails gathered everyone. "Be strong, stay together, we're going to..."

The others paused looking to Tails for his encouraging words.

"Tails?" Amy asked.

The golden fox fell to his knees, beginning to writhe in pain. He fell to his hands and started to pant as his tails twitched. The three remaining appendages went from budding to full grown golden tails with white-furred tips. Tails collapsed to the ground as his nine flurried as a result. Mina ran to him and tried to help him up.

"Tails?" she called.

"I'm... finally... stronger..." Tails' voice called to her.

The fox quickly got to his feet and looked at Shadow. The air of hate surrounded the fox as he stared at this nemesis.

"Something you want to say." Shadow furrowed his brow.

"Yeah..." Tails stated. "A lot of things..."

Shadow tightened his fists looking over the short fox. His hue was seemingly low contrast but maybe it was the darkened sky above. The Death Egg moved higher than when it first appeared. Low orbit would give it the speed in order to travel the circumference of the planet. The Death Egg was a stroke of genius and without Sonic and Tails' quick action last time, this thing would have flash roboticized everything in its path.

Shadow looked to Rouge. The sexy agent looked to Tails. The fox looked to the ladies around him. Amy, Cream, and even Mina gave a strong look.

"We've got an egg to crack." Tails stated.

Rouge held Shadow's wrists and pulled off his Inhibitor Rings.

"Chaos Control!" Shadow yelled.

A huge semicircle of land and junk was consumed in the teleportation along with the Freedom Fighters. They would reunite aboard the revived vessel known as the Death Egg.

**One more to go before this arc closes. The Death Egg. Shadow. Robotnik. Tails. Sally. Sonic. The Freedom Fighters. All things have been leading up to this moment in time. Come back for the epic continuation of Sonic 51**

**/starsquadenterprises  
**

**/givannivan  
**


	40. Survival

"Bumbling nephew..." Robotnik spat.

Aboard the Death Egg setting the flight pattern he monitored a few systems and checked his altitude. Occasionally he'd glance at the screen to see if his robot had subdued his foe yet. Of course, he was only to stall until Dr. Robotnik would kill the hedgehog himself.

"He couldn't even take over the planet in my absence without killing himself." Robotnik continued. "Zeppelins are a tricky thing to manage."

Dr. Robotnik laughed maniacally before pressing on an intercom button.

"Having fun yet Hedgehog!" Ivo jovially questioned. "I certainly am!"

Sonic had Sally in his possession while dodging the lightning quick attacks of the Death Egg's internal protector. Sonic leapt away as the robot slammed into where he had been. Sonic had to move again or else be cut by the ricochet. The sound of the machine was screeching like ten thousand circular saws. The buzzing pitched higher and Sonic dodged again. The robot ceased its wave of attacks and unfurled from ball mode.

Silver Sonic stared at Sally and his fleshly counterpart.

The machine was two feet taller than Sonic with razor sharp spines. Nowhere near Sonic on the speed level, but it's exterior was deadly. Electricity arced through each armored plate and when in ball mode he was untouchable. For now though, it stood watching Sonic with its black corneas and orange eyes. Its metal shoes were all orange aside from the flat gray armor on everything else.

Sonic slammed into the forehead of Silver Sonic and sent the robot off its feet. Sonic rushed back to Sally and held her in his arms. Silver Sonic curled into a ball tumbled across the floor. Sonic darted up the walls across the ceiling to the opposite side. Silver Sonic turned and aimed for the couple.

"Sonic Induction!" Sally commanded.

"Sonic Induction?" Sonic questioned.

Silver Sonic was taken from his ball mode and flung toward the heroes.

"Duck!" Sally yelled.

Sonic and Sally dropped to the floor as the robot smashed into the entry door and beyond.

"Past cool Sal!" Sonic and her slapped hands. Sonic picked her up and they darted into the darkened hall after Silver Sonic. Robotnik just watched through the monitors planning move after move.

"I'm going to have to do something about those." Ivo turned to his controls. "That's next on the priority list."

Meanwhile Sonic and Sally were trapped with Silver Sonic on a freight elevator. The car was excessively small to do any major motion especially for Silver Sonic. Sonic darted to corners confusing the machines sensors. Sally hit the down button and they traveled deeper into the Death Egg. Silver Sonic tried move but stuck his hand into wall. Sonic quickly slammed into its forehead and rocked the machine again. Silver Sonic's sensors and mechanics were going haywire. Sonic's ball mode combined with his body vibration and his precision Chaos Energy wave disrupted everything inside all of Robotnik's machines. Sonic dropped to the ground with a smile on his face when Silver Sonic curled into a ball.

"Sonic this is bad!" Sally warned.

"Let's get topside!"

Silver Sonic rotated a few times and shredded the aluminum floor. Silver Sonic dropped down the huge shaft with a small explosion igniting the bottom. Sonic and Sally watched from the top before closing the hatch. The elevator was still going down but Sonic located the next door and bounced into it. He dropped back onto the car and grabbed his lady. He hopped onto the floor and rolled across the slick lighted floor.

"You okay Sal?"

Sally gave Sonic a small peck on the cheek. "I could be better."

"We gotta stop Robotnik." Sonic helped up Sally.

"I'm already ahead of you," Sally located a terminal room and started touching the screen. "I figure if we get a schematic of the station we can take it down from the inside."

"Just the two of us?"

"You and Tails did it."

"Right. Where do we start?"

"The most obvious start is the Chaos Emeralds. They're the only thing strong enough to maintain such a constant altitude while distributing that much power to a roboticizer. We disrupt that flow of power and we scramble this egg."

"We'll be eating omelet's in the morning. Solid plan Sal."

"There's a service track that can be accessed just a few sections away. That will lead us to the core chamber where we can do our work."

"What about ol' lardo up there?"

"Priority one is the sabotage of this vessel, we'll be saving lives the sooner we take this monstrosity out."

Sonic nodded. He took in the whole scope of the mission and psyched up his nerves. This was the sink or swim moment that he looked forward to before the end of each journey. Now that Robotnik had returned things were starting to become all too familiar. Sonic looked to Sally and frowned.

"I want to do this alone."

Sally paused. "Sonic..."

"Sal listen," Sonic sighed. "I don't even know how you're standing up right now but seeing you in pain, helpless, and in moments of weakness, I... I just don't want to see you like that ever again."

"I am not helpless Sonic Hedgehog!" Sally exclaimed but then calmly sighed. "Sonic there's something I need to tell you. It's the biggest secret I've ever kept in my life."

Sonic screamed and groaned.

"Sonic!"

The blue hedgehog threw his hand up in pause to Sally as he stood back up and clinched his fists. There was thick Chaos Energy swirling around him when Sally saw the lime color emanate from her boyfriend. Then entities appeared all around Sonic.

"Guys?" Sally questioned.

The Freedom Fighters were all on the ground with Shadow next to Sonic.

"Rouge!" he desperately called. The bat sprang from her position on the floor and slid the Inhibitor Rings on his wrists. Shadow fell to the floor beading sweat and panting. That Chaos Control took a toll on him. Tails, Amy, and Cream stood up while Sonic helped up Mina.

"Oh, hey Mina." Sonic questioned.

Mina was lost in Sonic's eyes. She always thought blue was a great color but nothing of this magnitude ever struck her. She looked at Sonic but the hedgehog quickly remembered his mission.

"I'm glad you all are here." Sonic smirked. He approached Sally and held both of her hands.

"Sally." Sonic looked at her deeply. "Marry me."

"Sonic?"

"I know it's not the time or place but seeing you in such pain and misery back then... I never want to go back on my promise of protecting you! And that will be forever sealed in the bonds of our marriage. Princess Sally Acorn will you take me, Maurice Ogilvie Hedgehog to be your husband."

Sally immediately kissed him. "I'll have to think about it." she smiled and kissed him again.

"I'm waiting." Sonic smirked.

"It's a yes!" Sally kissed him again.

Amy shed a few tears and even Cream softened up for the moment.

"Well congratulations you two lovebirds, I always knew it would be Sonic and Sally forever." Rouge hugged Sally.

"I guess congratulations are in order but they'll be much more appreciated when we get out of this mess." Shadow stood up.

"Hopefully this time we can do it without the romance." Tails mumbled.

"Tails." Sonic addressed him.

Tails turned his way. "I'd be honored if you were my best man."

The golden fox paused. Sonic looked so free, so passionate, even among the storm that is the Death Egg, he proposed to his lifelong love. Tails smiled and even chuckled a bit. He was about to give his answer.

"Stowaways!" Dr. Robotnik chimed in through the loud speakers. "It seems I'm carrying some extra weight."

"So he really is back..." Tails gritted his teeth.

"Without a doubt little rodents. The great Doctor Ivo Robotnik, genius extraordinaire, has returned to obtain his spot at the top of the globe as your supreme tyrannical dictator."

Amy had chills and Cream was nearly sick. Mina was off to the side knocking her knees together. Rouge and Shadow stood ready to enter battle as Sally clutched Sonic's arm.

"We're going to take you down Robotnik!" Sonic yelled.

"A noble notion indeed, rodent, but you fail to realize the depth of my assault. Right now we're entering Mobius' atmosphere and in about ten minutes we will be right above Station Square. Can you imagine what I'm going to do to all the pests down there?"

"Robotization..." Sally quivered.

"Correct as always Princess," Robotnik laughed. "Imagine all of the little Robians becoming slaves in a continent laced with technology. The transition will be so easy and the production will skyrocket in Robotropolis. The Empire will rise finally taking my rightful place leaving to toy with you and Knothole for a few weeks. Now do you realize the depth of my genius? Pests and Rodents as you are, I've granted you a front row seat to the madness so sit back, take a load off and watch as I capture the world."

The intercom clicked.

There was nothing but silence among the hall. The eight of them were dumbfounded in the full development in Robotnik's plan.

"There's no way we can stop him..." Mina sat with her jaw agape.

Sonic squeezed Sally's hand and nodded to her. He let go of her and approached the middle of the team.

"You're wrong." Sonic rubbed the underside of his nose. "I've been in this situation many times and I gotta say the weight of the world is heavy. But it's not something that we can just toss aside. I've fought this fight all my life and missed my chance for five years. I've lost friends and allies along my way to recovery but I will not forget any of their resolve. The one that sticks out the most is you guys how you've clawed your way to fight for another day of peace and freedom; even Shadow found his way. I'm here with my fiancé and the best people in the world able to take down this guy. Where there are the Freedom Fighters there is justice and where there's a hedgehog, there's a way... Sal, what's the new plan?"

"Sonic... You're glowing..." Sally pointed.

Sonic smiled and rolled his eyes. "Well when you look as good as me..."

"No you're literally glowing." Amy pointed as well.

Sonic looked himself over.

There was a white aura around him that was bubbling forth. His blue spines were turning light blue while his eyes were a light green. Sonic finally started to notice the power surrounding him. The others were just impressed; Sonic was finding new ways to use Chaos Energy.

"If Dark Sonic birthed from negative emotions then this must be the result from the positive..." Sally watched Sonic float upwards. "Light Sonic."

The others felt inspired watching Sonic rise through the ceiling. Their Chaos Energy was being restored from the presence of Light Sonic. Each of their low wells of force finally filled back up. Light Sonic phased back down to the ground but continually floated upward.

"I'm losing it Sal..." Sonic struggled.

"Just keep sight of your goal and your promise. You'll be fine."

Sonic smiled.

"New plan." Sally directed. "The fake emeralds, do you guys have them?"

"Yeah!" Amy spoke for the team. They all revealed them and held them out.

"Give them all to Sonic, maybe it will prolong his state until he switches them with the real ones. The drawback of the false gems will send this station into power withdrawals. Meanwhile I want a speed team to find a communication terminal and warn Station Square of the impending doom and find a way to fight back. I'm going to need a power team to find the shield generator and shut it down so Station Square can attack from the outside. We're going to hit this thing from both angles!"

The Freedom Fighters gave Sonic the fake emeralds and he stored them in his Chaos Energy. Amy, Sally and Mina suited for the communication mission while Shadow, Cream, and Rouge headed for the shield generator. Sonic and Tails stood alone among the hall.

"Later." Tails said.

He blasted off heading opposite of Sonic's direction.

"Yeah, later..." Sonic smirked. He clinched his fists and started to lose his ability when he accessed the emeralds power and his strength exponentially increased. The white aura started to blaze around him like fire as his spines changed to an almost white with blue tint. His eyes were a soft white and his peach muzzle turned to a soft gold. Light Sonic had reached stability due to the power of the fake emeralds. Light Sonic phased through the floor and darted past obstacle going through them like a ghost. His speed was normal but now with the ability to fly there was no place he couldn't go. Sonic passed through to the core of the Death Egg where the Chaos Emeralds were held. Sonic approached the Chaos Emeralds and felt the true waves of the force and Light Sonic disappeared.

Sonic dropped to the ground with aura gone and molecules back in standard position. The experience was unsettling but he popped back on his feet yet again.

"Just make the li'l old switch then time to kick some Robuttnik!" Sonic pulled the fake emeralds out of his energy and quickly switch each one out in a rapid fashion. Sonic possessed the real Emeralds and compared them to the others. They fakes were a bit pale in luster and the color was off just a hint. Plus they didn't radiate like the true emeralds. Sonic stored the gems in his Chaos Energy and turned around to dodge a circular saw. Sonic fell to the ground and turned to look. The saw unfurled from ball mode and looked over Sonic.

"Imitation is the best form of flattery and I gotta say, I'm flattered." The hero bowed. "Mecha Sonic."

The navy machine stood at about the same height as Metal Sonic but was just as lethal as Silver Sonic. Mecha Sonic is actually a copy - from Sonic's robotization months before Project: Endgame started - but made from all machinery now. If Silver Sonic guarded the interior of the Death Egg then Mecha guarded the exterior - like when the Death Egg completed its orbit after the capture of the Master Emerald.

Mecha slid forward a bit showing off his multi-spiked head and demonic red eyes. Mecha was a faster version of Silver Sonic but had more muscle than Metal Sonic. It seems Robotnik pulled all the hedgehogs out for this show. Still Sonic crouched and rubbed his nose.

"Let's get this party started shall we?"

Mecha slid forward and slammed Sonic with a right hand. Sonic did not remember his speed being so high. Sonic flipped and darted left, missing the next assault. Mecha rolled into a ball as Sonic stopped behind him.

"That would have hurt." Sonic grimaced. He encircled the robot in a full on sprint as Mecha tried to rotate. Mecha was lifted into the air quickly and slammed against the Chaos Core. Electricity arced from the vital machine as Mecha unfurled from the ball. Mecha slammed onto the floor and looked up to feel Sonic's precision hit slam his forehead. Mecha was thrown back into the wall trying to readjust internal sensors.

Sonic curled into a ball and started a spin dash instantly putting him at top speed. Mecha activated his rockets and took to the air. Sonic bounded across the floor bouncing from wall to wall as Mecha accessed his arsenal. Missiles erupted from Mecha's arms as Sonic stopped to gawk. Sonic turned tail and ran taking the path of the service track back to their checkpoint. Mecha Sonic quickly followed firing missiles after the speedster.

_The Speed Team finally makes its way to the Communications terminal_

Sally held onto Amy like a piggy-back ride.

As uncomfortable as it was for both of them the mission was top priority. The three entered an open area with the terminal on the other side. Mina and Amy slapped hands as Sally got off of Amy and observed the surroundings.

"C'mon Sally, this is the way isn't it?"

Amy and Mina scampered ahead.

"I hope I can hack this thing..." Sally followed. Amy and Mina headed for the large computer on the opposite side when they entered an encircled area. Sally barely noticed it and stopped.

"Get out of there!" Sally yelled.

A clear plastic shielding rose up from the floor and locked with the high ceiling of the same design.

"A trap?" Mina questioned.

"I knew I should have gotten a power player..." Sally kicked herself. "Don't worry ladies I'll have you out in a second."

Amy revealed her hammer and twirled it in her palms when the ceiling opened up and a purple sphere floated about midway down with two bumpers orbiting it.

"Great!" Sally rushed around the large tube heading for the computer.

Amy leapt up and slammed her hammer right into the appearing bumper. Amy was sent into the tube when electricity arced into her. Amy fell to the ground as Mina, frightened, clutched her hands. The purple sphere opened up and dropped little spiked drones that rolled across the floor. They were slow but untouchable and heading for the ladies. Amy stood back up and brushed off the numbness in her body.

"I won't go down so easily!" Amy yelled. She swept up three drones in one swipe and they slammed into the tubing. Electricity did not occur and two of three drones were right side up.

"They must be made of aluminum!" Sally exclaimed, trying to watch her friends struggle while hacking the massive computer.

The floor became littered with these drones as Amy jumped to Mina's side.

"This is our last chance!" Amy commanded. "Can you go into ball mode like Sonic and Tails?"

Mina shook with fear.

Amy furrowed her brow and reeled back. Amy slapped Mina to senses and grabbed her shoulder.

"Ball mode Mina, pay attention."

"I-I th-think so..."

Amy planted her hammer onto the floor like a pedestal. "Jump off my hammer and go into a ball. I'll knock you into the machine and we can get out of here."

Mina had no choice and planted on foot on the hammers edge. She sprang up from the head, formed into a ball as Amy gripped her hammer, and swung around and upward. Mina was sent toward the purple machine and slammed against the roaming bumper like before. Mina slammed against the wall and felt electricity numb her right arm then she hit the floor. Mina thought for sure she landed on a spike drone and went into shock because she couldn't feel her arm but she opened her eyes and saw the floor was clear.

"Mina!" Amy called from above. "How'd you get up there?"

Sally looked up from her work and saw Mina on the ceiling. She started to mumble ideas and plans to herself.

"Machine... Drones... Entrapment... Gravity chamber..." Sally's eyes went wide and she rushed the tube. "Amy follow her up!"

"But... But I can't go into ball mode..." Amy reasoned. "I have a dress on!"

"Do it!" Sally commanded.

Amy swung her hammer and used its weight and momentum to hurl herself at the machine. Her hammer fell to drones as Amy collided with the bumper and slammed next Mina. Amy spryly got up as Mina stood next to her.

"Get ready!" Sally yelled.

The machine flipped around and the gravity on the drones reversed sending them downward. With the bumpers aimed towards the Mobians heat signature the drones posed no real threat until six or seven drones slammed into machines back. An explosion rocked the tube shutting the electricity off to the plastic walls. Amy caught her hammer in her right hand but suffered the added consequences.

"Yes!" Sally smiled. she returned to her computer trying to finish the hack.

Spikes were thrown from the drones all around while Amy had three in her chest and arm.

"Amy!" Mina yelled. The drones fell all around with the spikes down into the floor.

"Go in ball mode again!" Amy barked. Mina did so without question this time as Amy planted a foot on Mina and lifted her injured arm and swung that hammer into Mina. She darted all around the ceiling kicking up drones in the process. The purple machine withstood the brunt of ten to twelve explosions and finally crashed into the plastic tube walls. The gravity returned to normal and the girls fell to the littered floor.

"You saved us." Amy smiled.

"I guess I did..." Mina smiled.

"A little fine tuning and you could be one of us." Amy smiled before clamping onto one of the spikes on her chest.

"No!" Sally screamed from the other side. "If you take that out we don't have the medical treatment to help you right away."

Amy paused.

"Besides I'm almost done." Sally clicked a few more buttons and hit enter. "I did it. I'm finally in Station Square's communication hub. Just bypassing the main relay and transmitting to all available frequencies."

Mina led Amy over to the computer and rested a bit.

"My name is Princess Sally Acorn of the Knothole Kingdom. I am inside the Death Egg of Dr. Robotnik's creation which is en route to Station Square. I am urging the immediate evacuation of all civilians in the continents. This is not a drill. The threat is very real."

Sally ceased her transmission. "The most we can do now is rally the rest of the Freedom Fighters and see if we can stop Dr. Robotnik himself. Mina I'll see if I can get Amy to a medical ward, I'm sure Robotnik has suffered a few scrapes or two."

Sally headed back toward the computer when a beep occurred.

Sally opened the channel.

"Commander Tower!" Sally greeted.

"We've triangulated your position Princess, we will be on the offensive in just a few minutes."

"Wait not yet! There's a massive shield protecting the station and we're trying to shut it down now."

Commander Tower huffed. "Get that shield down now! We don't have time flake when _my_ country is in danger!"

"My people and myself will not be bullied around be Station Square, Commander. If we make it through this alive we will no longer be considering a hand in the alliance. How is that for flaking?"

Sally immediately hung up.

"Umm... Sally?" Amy questioned.

"Let's get you guys out of here." Sally memorized the schematic and ran toward her comrades.

_The power team had finally made their way to the shield generator_

Cream, Rouge and Shadow arrived at narrow platform with a drop off to the bottom of the Egg. It was dark in the gorge but they didn't pay any attention. They had finally come to the end of their mission where they gathered around a black cylinder.

"This is one of the batteries that power that shield generator." Rouge informed them.

"Looks easy enough to take out." Cream lifted her hands and felt over the smooth sleek cylinder. The thing was heavy and attached well until she found a weak point. She yanked lifting a shutter revealing a black screen.

"Well this was a waste of time." Shadow folded his arms.

The black screen fizzled and a red eye came to life in the cylinder. The sleek black casing exploded off into the gorge while red eye machine slid out and floated. Two platforms unfurled from its top and bottom and rotated around the center. The eye watched each of them as it turned to face them.

"I'll handle this!" Shadow ran to action. He leapt and disappeared. The eye then focused on Rouge when the black hedgehog appeared slamming into the screen. The machine launched a big grey sphere toward the bat. The ball bounced one time and exploded in a flurry of spikes. Rouge shielded herself with a crystal wall. By this time Shadow slammed into the screen again releasing a wave of two spheres.

"Shadow!" Cream called. "Stop it!"

Cream Controlled the two spheres before either hit the ground. Shadow landed on the platform of the red eye machine and folded his arms.

"This machine is a defensive type!" Shadow yelled. "I could easily mangle this thing apart."

"But what you didn't notice was its capabilities." Rouge stated. "Now let's work together and we can all save our skin."

The red eye focused on Shadow through a slightly cracked screen and just watched the hedgehog.

"...I guess..." Shadow faced the machine.

Shadow was blasted off the platform from a direct laser shot. The red eye had gone on the offensive and Shadow felt the results. He fell from the platform and into the black void of the gorge below.

"Shadow!" Rouge called.

"Watch out!" Cream exclaimed, diving to tackle Rouge out of harm's way. The sexy bat threw up a dome to protect them from harm.

"Shadow!" Rouge whispered. "I'm going to go after him."

"No way toots, I'm not gonna get killed for your friend!"

"The robot must have had to charge up his laser which is why it didn't attack off hand... No wonder Shadow didn't see it coming. The dome rocked with tremors - grey spheres bounced on its top and exploded with needle showers. The dome suffered a few more cracks.

"Shadow's gonna be fine Rouge," Cream rarely comforted, "He's the strongest of us all right?"

Rouge got herself together. "You're right."

The dome rocked again with cracks covering most of the view.

"I got a plan." Cream nodded.

"You have a plan?"

"Yeah we trash the hunk of junk!"

The dome started to break away in huge particles as bright blue light entered in place. Cream pushed away from Rouge and Controlled herself back from the wide array. The Red Eye was becoming a super arsenal in short time. Cream slid across the platform and ended up toppling over the edge. She grabbed the ledge and dangled briefly to catch her sights. Red Eye loomed over finally ceasing the massive power discharge. It bounded into the air and started its eye laser assault again. The first three rapid shots came and were all refracted into a massive crystal. The eye looked right as Cream soared over the machine and right on top. She pressed her hands into the top and held them there. Those deadly grey sphere's weren't going to come out now.

Rouge on the other hand was dealing with the assault.

She formed a crystal like a shield on her arm and aimed it toward the incoming lasers. The light quickly refracted but the machine drew closer. It started to beep and spin the platforms as the blue light formed at the bottom. Rouge's eyes widened as she started to make another dome.

Shadow appeared in front of Rouge with clinched fists.

"Chaos Return!" Shadow yelled. His body flashed white just before the huge laser enveloped the hog. The machine hovered over Shadow while Rouge backed away and into Cream. The two shared a worried a look but then back to the action. Shadow appeared just to disintegrate himself from enemy fire. The Red Eye stopped its rapid movement and bounded upward with Shadow at the bottom. His body was completely red, storing more than enough energy for a Return.

Shadow blasted through the enemy splitting the robot into tiny pieces. Shadow was still going and he aimed the energy into the exposed battery of the shield generator. The generator disintegrated and immediately a siren went off within the Death Egg.

"Shields have been compromised!" the moderator repeatedly stated.

Shadow was steaming hot as Cream and Rouge approached.

"You teleported me out of there didn't you?" Cream asked.

"And you defeated the thing all by yourself." Rouge folded her arms.

"I'm still picking up the teamwork idea." Shadow stared at Rouge. The bat slugged him in the arm and then hugged Shadow.

"You know you're my kind of guy right?"

"I gathered..." Shadow brushed her off.

"We should go before more of those garbage disposals come out." Cream commanded.

_Tails was alone_

He stood in the foyer.

Nine tails waving behind him with clinched fists. He couldn't believe his journey brought him here but there were some things that needed to be addressed. He opened the door and hopped in to be confronted by gunfire. The golden fox jumped, dodged, and dove over the laser rifle attack. Tails rolled up from his dive and lashed out a precision strand of lighting. The laser rifle exploded on contact and the user flailed his hand as a result.

"Ouch!" Doctor Ivo Robotnik felt his hand. "When did you start to play rough?"

Tails was still in striking position but came to stand on two feet with his hands ready to attack. He looked at Robotnik and started to huff. All his pain, all his suffering could be resulted to the tyranny that is Robotnik. The past years of his life were struggling and striving to make due and here he was trying to flip things back to the way they were. Tails just stared at him, finally believing the truth for himself.

"Surprised to see me, Tails?" Robotnik cackled. His voice was deathly robotic like always and his blood red eyes were filled with glee. "I'm flattered you made your approach thus far but you won't come any closer."

"I'm going to kill you..."

Robotnik frowned. "A flattering theory but the aura that is Robotnik is one that cannot be reduced to the depths of the grave, my return proves it."

Tails went wide-eyed. He was right. The Ultimate Annihilator, according to forensic records, wiped out everything from that room. If he had returned from annihilation then what good would it do this time?

"I'm going to keep coming for you and killing you."

"Tails... Poor Tails..." Robotnik shook his head. "I thought you were smarter than this! You singlehandedly made the EIA project and developed those nifty ties to the emeralds and yet you cannot grasp the full scope of my presence. What is Mobius without Doctor Ivo Robotnik? Out of balance my dear pest!"

Tails was ready to strike again. He'd been breathing for too long.

"The EIA was the reason your Tails sprouted the way they did. Tell me child, when was the last time you held the emeralds all to yourself? Hmm? A month? A year? A lifetime?"

"Shut up!"

Robotnik's smile widened to a menacing length then outlandish rage consumed him, slamming his fists onto the arms of the chair.

"That rodent has stolen every opportunity you ever had to grasp your true potential. Sure you have nine tails, but now what? Is it just going to take longer for you to enter and exit doors now?"

Tails built up electricity in his hands. One Lightning's Tail attack and he'd end the monster right now.

"During the course of the runaround I handed the world, I made a discovery, one so priceless I did everything in my power to acquire it. I possess it now and have improved on the design. What have you improved while that rodent runs about?"

Robotnik lifted his hands, motioning to his large control room.

Tails paused, the moment running deep in his veins. He was going to kill in a matter of seconds.

"What does Knothole need from you now that their Hero hath returned? What good have you done since that rodent started scuttling about? Better question! Where does Miles Prower fit into a place he cannot go?"

The golden fox started emanating electricity sparking across the entire room.

"You said it yourself, Tails," Robotnik leaned forward, "You could use a vacation. There's always room here for-"

The threshold of the doorway was filled with bright Chaos Energy. The aura of yellow fire blazed the steel on the side as the golden hedgehog hovered a few inches over the ground.

"Sonic!" Robotnik irately slammed his hands on his chair.

Tails was still furiously bolting electricity gripping the bulk of it in his tightened fists.

"There's only one hedgehog, Buttnik!" Sonic flung his hand letting go of the severed head of Mecha Sonic. The robot cranium rolled and hit Robotnik's chair.

"Ah rodent..." Robotnik went back into a smile. "Your here a little too late actually, you see Tails was about to finish me off and claim victory for the world."

Super Sonic looked down and to the left and caught eyes with Tails.

Super Sonic could feel the fox's intensity, he was going to kill the fatty in a matter of milliseconds. Super Sonic ceased his hover and graced the floor with his indomitable presence. Tails was going through a ton of stress right now and Super Sonic could sense it.

The golden hedgehog rubbed his nose and smirked.

"Step aside Tails," Sonic faced Robotnik, "I got this." Super Sonic crouched and then leapt for the dictator.

Tails knew all he needed to know.

The electricity he clinched flowed to his fingers which he shaped into a gun-like position. He aimed and fired, letting the control room shake from thunder.

Super Sonic was no more.

Robotnik watched the blue hog fall to the ground, the emeralds falling to the wayside. The evil doctor, stunned, watch Sonic writhe in pain and then to Tails who was huffing off to the side. Robotnik slowly went from a stunned face to an evil grimy smile.

"You've done the right thing." Ivo cackled.

Tails looked over Sonic with electricity sparking over his conductive fur.

"Finish him." Robotnik callously indulged the fox.

"Tails..."

Shadow, Rouge and Amy were in the doorway stunned to witness the scene for themselves.

Shadow, however, was not surprised. "So as I have come full circle you yourself turn tail. I don't think we'll ever be at balance-"

Tails flashed Shadow with a lightning strike. The black hedgehog managed to dodge a bit but was clipped in his arm. He was numb on his right side as he slammed against the floor. Shadow stared at Tails and glanced at the immobile hedgehog. Sonic must be in even worse shape.

"Now Tails, darling..." Rouge eased in.

Tails flared the sparks from his body.

Robotnik just smiled in the back giggling to himself. "All according to plan..."

"Rouge..." Shadow strained. "Take Cream and go... Find... The others..."

Rouge nodded faithfully and grabbed for Cream. The rabbit nudged forward and stood before the fox she rather liked.

"I looked to you for strength Tails..." Cream heartily expressed. "Now in your moment of truth you show your true colors. I'm ashamed for you."

Tails lashed at Cream but the shock nullified to against her control.

"What the-" Cream yelled.

"Tails!" Sally exclaimed. She and her team arrived at the threshold while Robotnik sat back and watched. The Princess observed everything, her fiancé on the ground, a powerful ally clawing to his feet, and a gleeful Robotnik in the background, with Tails standing among all of them with contempt.

"Tails, I'm going to ask you this one time, and don't lie to me!" Sally bit her lip slowly approaching Sonic, "Miles. Where does your allegiance lie?"

The fox wasn't surprised. "Allegiance. All this time I watched as my home was destroyed, ransacked, invaded, abused, betrayed! And all this time I watched how frivolous things are. New Mobotropolis didn't last, the crown didn't last, even that council didn't last. I saw so many of my people die because of the lack of responsibility Knothole has taken. And it's because of him that you all can't see the truth.

Tails was sparking again ready to strike down Sally and Sonic.

"Your Hero of Knothole became the focal point for our eventual blindness. He is an arrogant, self-righteous, idiot who justifies everything with his own twisted sense of justice! I'm so tired of it, I'm so very tired of it..."

"Tails, I thought you were-" Amy started.

"Not another word Amy, I'm sick of you too. The only thing I crave is stability now, and what is the most stable thing in the past sixteen years."

"You can't Tails." Mina called.

"He can..." Robotnik groaned. "You see I'm offering him something you've never given him, a sturdy foundation."

"I just need to find my place, without you."

"Let him go..." Shadow spat. "He's obviously blinded by his own power... like I was."

Tails erupted. Lightning flashed across the room striking each of the Freedom Fighters violently. The pain was insurmountable and the numbing effect would soon surrender to paralysis. Shadow grabbed his Inhibitor Rings and slid them to his palms.

"Chaos Control!" Shadow yelled.

The lightning stopped.

The thunder resounded.

The power returned to normal.

And Tails was still among the Death Egg.

"Let them go." Robotnik giggled. "I'll play with them some other time."

Tails let go of his tension, the moment he had been holding back finally over. The trick now was to live with his actions. Robotnik, uncontested from the interior, continued his assault for Station Square. The exterior arsenal Station Square was laying into the Death Egg was pitiful. The fighter jet's missiles weren't near enough to make a scratch and bullets were only an annoyance. Station Square was the leading war machine upon Mobius and Robotnik knew he would have to take out the strongest horse. Surface-to-air missiles were making a minuscule difference but if only centered on one point. A coordinated strike with full scope plans wasn't in production as of yet. Commander Tower did the best he did with what he had especially with the shields down. The Death Egg was formidable and the exterior offense was just an inconvenience.

Robotnik leapt from his chair, his overcoat flapping behind him. Robotnik stroked his new goatee while he proceeded to his elevator. Battle was ensuing outside and the scene was complete serenity inside as Robotnik rose to the next floor. He entered the real control room walked through the floors. Machine's activating to his precise heat signature and weight while he strolled to a chair. He sat in it and rotated to view the massive screens before him. The chair was laced with a small keyboard which Robotnik was lightning fast upon. He entered numerous codes while downing a coffee and burning his lip. A huge vibration rocked the Death Egg annoying Ivo more than anything. Station Square had finally found a suitable plan of attack and targeted the refuse hatch. Robotnik shook his head. The Death Egg was full of false refuse hatches to mislead the real one. Robotnik input the last series of codes and sat back a bit.

"Ahem" Robotnik started. He was video chatting with the highest man in the land.

"So you've returned!" President Tower exclaimed. "I'm shocked, appalled, and stunned to find-"

"Spare me the semantics Tower; I've come to gloat as expected. With one fell stroke I plan on expanding my empire to the fullest finally recognizing myself as the one true deity among this stepping stone and expanding to anywhere else where I see fit to rain down judgment. With the power of the Chaos Emeralds I'm going to roboticize every square inch of the planet. No place is safe, the world will become the base for the Robotnik Regime. And it all starts with the ending of this video call. As supreme dictator of the former free world I am granting you one last moment to beg for your pitiful existence."

"Doctor Robotnik please!" President Tower exclaimed. "What you're doing is problematic, inconceivable, and just plain wrong and I will not, no, I cannot allow you to do such a thing to the planet I love."

"You say you love it yet you have amassed buildings and residents over top of a world growing beneath you. You only love it because it is all you have. I will show you a new way to live, embrace your future circuitry and follow my will. You have upset me President Tower, I thought you would come up with a better oration without your speech writers. You will become a low level worker-bot in my plans. Say goodbye to your freedom."

Robotnik ended the video and slammed his fingers on the enter key. The Death Egg started to activate with laser lines scanning over the entire continent. The station started to vibrate from the massive power output. The Death Egg would reach its fullest potential with the Chaos Emeralds in tow. The Death Egg started to withdraw power from its batteries and load the extra into the Mass Roboticizer. The fake emeralds in place of the real ones started the descent into failure.

"What's going on?" Robotnik rushed his to keyboards

The Mass Roboticizer started projecting its technomancy from the laser lights shooting out the Death Egg. Station Square started to suffer the signature attack from Dr. Robotnik. The continent was beginning to transform into metal mass of machinery. Empire City was the first to go, then the Casinopolis District while Emerald Coast was being changed to a new Oil Ocean. Mission Street swiftly became a SWATbot district, while Routes 101, 208 with Radical and Speed Highways are turned into transports for large machinery. The evolution from organic and inorganic material to working technological machinery was something only Robotnik could have perfected. The original purpose of the roboticized was to stop a harmful terminal disease but now it's use is far from saving. The roboticized eliminated the free will of all the Mobians below while changing them into robotic slaves for the incoming Robotnik Regime.

The Death Egg shook and the Mass Roboticizer ceased it's functioning.

Robotnik would have been angered for the momentary pause in his conquest but instead he smiled and leaned back. This way would be better while impending doom lurked in the shadows. The Mass Roboticizer was corrupted with power due to the fake emeralds. It would take another six months to repair and rebuild another one. Time was of the essence now that he had revealed himself. Still his sheer brilliance would allow him another way to conquer. Robotnik cracked his knuckles and stroked his goatee while smiling amid the darkness of the room.

The dictator broke into an insidious laugh full of delusion and insanity. He was nearly back on track and the Freedom Fighters would have no answer. The Robotnik Regime would rectify the world's problems beginning with the most prominent thorn - freedom.

_They reassembled in Freedom HQ_

News cameras merely recorded the action.

The screen was tilted on its side as many Mobians were turned into Robians - henchmen for the future regime.

"Turn it off..." Amy begged.

Nicole followed suit and shut off the feed. The room was silenced now with members of the Freedom Fighters lost in their own depressing thoughts. The clear cut truth was before them.

Robotnik had won.

His next target would be Knothole or Angel Island and who knows which one he'll choose first. It was an hour after Shadow teleported them from impending doom and into the safety of home. Shadow disappeared almost immediately just before saying he needed to get a friend. Sally rushed Sonic to the hospital who still wasn't conscious. Bunnie, Antoine, Rotor and King Elias stayed among the headquarters with Amy, Rouge, Shadow, Mina, and Cream.

The inevitable truth was shown before them and now it seemed like a dream. Robotnik returned and immediately started his work on his pinnacle Project: The Death Egg. Of course, any scheme of his came with misleading deception in the form of government dealings and a former mastermind criminal. Mammoth Mogul had been the target but was just a pawn of things to come. Robotnik knew Mogul's weakness all along and exploited it with his creations of Sonic robots. The whole situation was sickening to recall but it was all they could think of.

"Where's... Tails?" King Elias asked.

The room grew dimmer. There was another blow to their collective hearts. The fox had officially betrayed the Kingdom and struck down several members of the team. How long had he been planning to defect? Cream buried her head in hands. All she could think of was his furious eyes right before he attempted to kill her. Her Control must have reacted without her noticing because she would have died without it. Cream let a tear fall, her sweetheart core corrupted by the things around her made her become bitter. Tails was the same way. Was she going the right way for deception, malice, and ultimately betrayal? Cream wiped her tear quickly and lifted her head to Elias.

"He's not coming back." Sally walked in settling her hands on the table. "As of right now, I am declaring Miles 'Tails' Prower an enemy of the state and will be captured and tried for his crimes against Knothole."

Shadow gave a small laugh.

"Is Sonic okay?" Amy asked.

"He's going to be." Sally sat down. " He suffered a concussion, and temporary paralysis. He's going to need a few days."

"I still cannot believe it..." Omega turned. His internal machinery whining as it did. Shadow rescued him in the nick of time and questioned his actions until he saw the news. The red machine was actually shocked.

Mina started. "Can we still save those people in-"

"No!" Sally exclaimed, frustrated with herself. She really didn't like to lose and this was a grim reminder.

"I'm sorry Mina but we will hash things out after the situation has cleared, right now I think we should take some time to settle and return with clear heads and minds to figure out how we can retaliate against something so big." King Elias started.

"Oh my stars," Bunnie quietly stated. "All my life we been fightin' this kind of thing... I feel like slop to a pig."

"I am thinking we will need assistance from Knuckles and the rest of Angel Island also. Maybe they will know how to tackle Robotnik and the Tails problem.

Shadow gave a small laugh.

"Something funny hedgehog?" Sally interrogated.

"Yes..." Shadow stood erect from his lean on the wall. "I destroyed Knothole, injured many of your citizens, and stood in the way of many a mission and yet I couldn't be contained by any of you. Now that I see your side as something to behold, I find Tails in the same position as I was. If he's truly defected, a real rebel, then he won't hesitate to kill any of you. I made the mistake earlier today and suffered consequences. The rest of you will have to be ready to kill him when the time comes."

"Nobody's killin' anybody..." Sonic stepped in.

"Sonic!" Sally rushed to his side. The blue hedgehog had a few bandages wrapped around his head and a few Band-Aids on his arms and legs. Sally held him and guided him to her chair. Sonic refused to sit but instead whispered to his future wife.

"How did you end up getting beaten by Metal Sonic to not needing a doctor while I get sparked one good time and needing a concussion."

Sally smiled. "We'll talk about this later.

"Sure we will." Sonic smirked then looked to the others.

"Omega, Shadow, Rouge." Sonic nodded to each of them. "I'm glad you guys are here full time now. Robotnik's going to need all the trouble he can get. I'm sure Knuckles can't wait to get his hands dirty as well as the rest of Angel Island. The world needs saving again and I guess we're the ones for the job. You all are going to have to be at your best in the next coming months, Robotnik won't stop at anything to make this his world."

The Freedom Fighters were locked onto Sonic's words because he was speaking from experience rather than that cocky attitude of his. The situation didn't call for arrogance but heartfelt determination.

"And Tails..." Sonic looked down for a bit. He poked his chest out and stared at each of their eyes. He gazed at his wife and then back to his audience. "Leave Tails to me."

**There are still some unanswered questions and overlooked points that will be addressed in THE FINAL ARC of Sonic 51. Artwork will come soon as well as more music on /starsquadenterprises. I thank everyone for reviewing and messaging me with ideas and suggestions.***PLEASE KEEP THE REVIEWS COMING!*** This story has always been for the true Sonic fans so thank you. Until next time, farewell Freedom Fighters.**


	41. The Last Days

Station Square was completely desolate; not a soul in sight.

There were buildings standing tall and the streets perfectly clear but the place wreaked of pollution; the telltale sign that something had gone horribly wrong. Station Square forever changed from that day on, when Robotnik showed he would not go down quietly. He kept claiming himself a god among mere creatures and this was his only path. Station Square suffers the only wrath of the second flight of the terrible Death Egg.

"Welcome to the Robotnik Regime." the despots voice rang throughout several speakers within the city. "By now you have realized and succumbed to the power of my hand. I promise to make your labor as strenuous as possible. We have a lot of work to do. A Reckoning is upon us!"

The message had been playing for roughly three months now and all of the Robians had shuffled away to the major part of Robotropolis to begin working incessantly. Station Square was now completely lifeless with grass being covered over with steel and iron and trees replaced with carbon dioxide converters with air quality at a daunting forty percent. Robotnik's siege had made the headlines ever since, with Knothole and Angel Island in full panic about the situation. There was constant fear lingering above them and with Tails lost among the world they could only hope for a beacon of hope.

Sonic was that beacon.

His memory patches becoming all sowed up with the visual presence of the maniacal Robotnik he began a more serious route - at least as serious as Sonic can get. Knothole and Angel Island have grown tighter, making this the alliance Station Square had once dreamt. Angel Island still floated idly above the Great Sea, where no influence of machinery or technology could touch it. Knuckles and Julie-Su, royalty to the people of Echidnapolis, had gathered its resources and readied shelters for people to hide. Soldiers and minutemen were sent to Knothole to be prepared for the next onslaught. Still, Knuckles made sure he was well protected, even pulling his version of the Freedom Fighters back home from a long drawn mission. Angel Island and the Master Emerald would remain a sanctuary if Knothole couldn't hold up their bargain. The way Robotnik was talking about a Reckoning, things were shaping up to be more disastrous each day.

Knothole still prepared diligently, being the most resourced nation left they pooled together all they could find, all the people, and made sure peace and safety were inculcated into each of them. Knothole always had a plan to fight against tyranny and now that Robotnik had made an epic return, things were falling into place.

"And now onto the matter of food." Elias started. "How long can we last on our canneries?"

Elias was in Freedom HQ, deep underground in Knothole where he could efficiently and peacefully resolve matters without being bugged by anyone. He was living up to his title as King, actually surpassing expectations to give swift action.

"I'd say at the population rate we would barely make it six months. After that who knows..." Julie-Su answered depressed at her own statements. The reality of post-apocalyptic survival was very real to these regal subjects.

"Surely we have more time than that!"

Robotnik would either conquer them or play the waiting game and starve them out. Either way, he'd have his clutches on the entire planet; it would truly be a Reckoning.

"We will find a way to resolve things; My sister is looking into it as we speak."

"Sally?" Julie-Su smiled. "She always has good news."

"And at times like this we need it desperately... Have you added security around the Master Emerald?"

"Yes and Knuckles is not happy about it. He feels it's his duty to guard the Master Emerald and by adding extra drones he feels it takes away from his sworn right. At least that's what I got out of the furious exclamation he made when I asked him..."

"Knuckles has his duty as a guardian first and a king second sad to say. You are doing a wonderful job in his place."

"None of that will matter if we can't get our people into safety or from starvation."

"I know what you mean," Elias wiped his face, "the only options we have are hiding and starving or taking the fight to him."

"And how is that part going?"

"Bitterly sorrowful. We've tried to invade Robotropolis on three separate occasions with forces deadlocked against our own. Sonic and Sally are determined to get in at all costs. They know the risk better than anyone."

"Tails did..."

"Well he's not here with us, on our side, anymore... We will simply make due. It's a wonder we haven't come across him in our hunt for the Chaos Emeralds."

"That will be our ace-in-the-sleeve if things go wrong."

"Sonic will have a huge burden to bear but he's prepared to go to lengths unknown for everyone."

The room started to shake with the monitor fizzling out a few times. The chairs rocked against the floor and table wobbled left to right. Elias turned to view the madness and as soon as it started the shaking stopped.

"I don't like you being underground when that happens."

"Their small tremors; nothing to be worrying about as I've been told."

"Still the ground is moving! Moving! Right underneath you and you're not scared? You really are the right man for the job."

"What scares me more is the loss of Mobius. An earthquake is nothing in comparison."

"I guess your right..." Julie-Su smiled. "We'll talk again later; I just got a shipment of food in from you guys."

"Good to know it arrived safely. I should be going too. We will talk again before the day is done."

"See ya later King." Julie saluted and signed off. Elias got up from his chair and whisked his red cape around.

_Sonic was in the fields with his team_

"Alright Freedom Fighters." Sonic dashed back and forth in front of everyone - his form of pacing. "We've got a fat egg shaped crazy madman gunning' for the entire planet Mobius. He's genius, he's gross, and he's got gut. I mean a lot of it."

Everyone grew even more depressed from Sonic's nature.

"Still we ain't goin' to give up nothin'!" Sonic continued. "I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you guys are ready."

"Will you freaking shut up already geez! I mean..." Cream exploded. She paused however trying to hold her more annoyed thoughts in. "Excuse Mr. Sonic but I believe we've heard this bologna every day since you started this crap."

Cream, the once light-hearted little girl, had tragedy strike her deeply when her mother died. Since then she became callous and negative even developing a personality similar to Tails'. But with the path the fox took she saw the road she was heading for and decided to see the best in people yet again. Of course, old habits definitely die hard.

Sonic folded his arms and tapped his foot. "Then I'm glad someone's paying attention. Little things like that is what make us the Freedom Fighters!"

"You don't have a clue as to what you're doing." Shadow folded his arms. The black hedgehog had been consistently living here ever since Station Square went down. He wouldn't go back on his promises and the curiosity of a true friendship intrigued him. The black hedgehog however kept to his brooding only confiding in the bat at times of his choosing.

"Not in the slightest." Sonic rubbed the underside of his nose. "Sally was supposed to be here but she had something important she had to do or something like that. I wasn't paying attention..."

"Sonic, you and Sally are getting married soon. You should be attentive to her." Mina Mongoose chimed in. The pop star turn refugee was a Knothole native and with training from the leading ladies of the kingdom she was becoming an excellent fighter along with her natural speed.

"That's what I'm saying." Amy wagged her finger. "If I was Sally I'd put you in your place."

Amy and Mina giggled, alongside a pleased Cream the trio were immediately friends. Amy was once a love interest to the blue blur so she spoke from experience and a little spite. She respected the two though, having come through all odds to be each other's chosen beloved. Amy simply and innocently teased.

"How did this become a relationship talk show hour?" asked Omega. "Can I kill something now?"

The big red machine was hard to read since he was all parts. Though his nature was to strike first, he started to repel this need ever since he got here. Omega stuck to Shadow almost all of the time with the bat completing the trio.

"I kind of like the deep relationship stuff." Rouge winked at the hedgehog. "Let's me know there's trouble in paradise."

The seductive bat always liked the things she couldn't have and jewels sealed behind bars always peaked her interest more than married men. Her flirtatious nature was just as deadly as her former secret agent abilities. She was now an official part of the Freedom Fighters acting as a leader of a subsidiary unit.

"Oh my stars, If y'all don't mind me being' a crow in a chickens nest I'd like to hear what old' sugar-hog was trying' ta say."

The newest mother in the group was proud to be cleared for action just two weeks after her babies were born. They two had a boy and a girl, the boy resembling his father and likewise for the girl. She was a lot more anxious than anyone to get back onto the mission especially with this being her first mission back.

"Please be believing me my love. You are not missing anything." Antoine smirked.

The royal guardsmen was also happy to be back in the ranks even showing up on time when the leader would always be late. His anxiety to go out yet again was a fire in his bones also. Antoine would not sit by as the world turns to machinery.

"You always miss something if you don't attend the Sonic show." the hedgehog rubbed his nose still. "Anyway what we're going to do today is..."

"Another obstacle course." Shadow bluntly stated.

Sonic continued. "Another obstacle course."

The Freedom Fighters sighed in regret. They started to scatter voicing their disgust as they walk away.

"Wait wait! This time it's different, I added those cool swinging weights!"

The group started to scurry away faster when the ground rocked. The same earthquake Elias had endured they too experienced. Sonic cautiously balanced himself and looked up toward the others.

"That was just as bad as last time." Amy stated.

"Even Mobius is being aware that Robotnik has returned." Antoine stated.

A dreary statement from the coyote but it was right. They would laugh and frolic more every day since the capture of Station Square but Elias and Sally remained ever concerned about the welfare of the people. Sonic just made sure he was himself the whole time.

"That's the fifth earthquake we had in the last month." Mina stated.

"Oh goody, someone can count." Cream folded her arms. "Sorry."

Shadow scoffed. "Hopefully it won't affect our fourth invasion into Robotropolis this time."

"Relax Shadow, Sally's plans are great. We just gotta stick it out." Amy looked on the bright side.

"Sure their great. But they're not genius." Rouge shrugged.

"I don't like anybody complimenting that greasy rotten egg." Sonic stated. "Sal has always come through for us when we need it. Let's just give her some time. She usually has a knack for these things"

_Sally awaits her guest in the interrogation room._

She kept thinking about her children.

What kind of world would they grow up in? Would it mirror hers and Sonic's youth? Fighting tyranny since they could barely stand? Would there never be peace on Mobius? Or will tyranny and oppression take over in this instance? Princess Sally would argue for and against these thoughts everyday when her mind wandered. Still she was focused in the uncomfortable chair and steel table of this darkened interrogation room. The single hanging light was dim making the scene more grim than it already is. She memorized the brief points she was going to bring out but ultimately she would ask the bigger questions.

Their future sank into her mind again. Her daughter, Sonia and her son Manic, along with Bunnie and Antoine's children and even the hidden child of Knuckles and Julie-Su were among the third generation to potentially fight more of Robotnik's treachery. The thought sickened her to her core. These thoughts have hindered her for some time now even affecting her strategic mind. With Knothole on her back, her fiancés safety to think of, Robotnik's so-called 'Reckoning', and Tails, she could barely stand to think at all. The stress of things were coming down on her so hard but she knew that if things grew a little more and the information started to leak then things would blow wide open for the better. So Sally stood proud, with hope desperately hitched on her arms, and she became confident.

The door swung open with a royal guard at the handle.

"Are you ready for him?" the hyena asked.

Sally just nodded.

"Bring him in." the hyena commanded. The sound of chains slid across the floor as an orange uniformed prisoner entered the room. The royal guards sat him down in the chair and locked the door. The hyena and the jackal receded to the corners making them shadows amid the black. Sally leaned back, cool and calm after seeing this man brought to justice finally.

"Geoffrey St. John." she shook her head.

"The goddess steps down from the heavens to greet us mere mortals." Geoffrey spat.

"Consider yourself lucky to be in my presence."

Geoffrey looked awful, having lost weight and his black and white hair graying under stress. He was shaggy and without his normal zeal.

"What do you want from me?" Geoffrey asked. "Dragging me out from the Devil's Gulag all for a chat in the dark."

"I need information to put it bluntly."

"C'mon love, a phone call would have been easier."

"I bet you could lie over the phone just as easy too."

Geoffrey smirked. "I suppose."

"I'm sure you heard the news."

"It's the only good thing I get in prison. I heard an old dictator is running around again. A shame that is."

"Yes. A real shame."

"I'm going to take a little guess and say you'll shorten my visit or I'll get the diplomat cell or extended conjugal visits..."

"You will get nothing. You are a criminal. You are a murderer. You are a traitor. And I don't negotiate with people who mean nothing to me."

Geoffrey smiled. He still loved her boldness, something Hershey lacked at times.

"Fine. I don't need to be swooned with glory dreams. Everything's going to tumble down anyway."

"Explain."

Geoffrey sighed. "Water. May I have a glass?"

"Until you die of dehydration you will receive no sustanence. Now, explain."

Sally slammed her fist against the table making sure he knew she was serious. Geoffrey looked at her fist and then into her eyes.

"What's eating you, love? I've never seen you so on edge."

"I have the fate of my people to think about everyday... You would never understand."

"I understand completely. I was King once."

"Once."

"Then again I was still in servitude, not the people, god no!" Geoffrey rolled his eyes. "I served a much higher purpose."

Sally wanted to grab him and shake him loose for everything he knew. Geoffrey loved being the center of attention and all she was doing now was feeding his deflated ego.

"What higher purpose?"

"The Reckoning my love! Isn't it obvious? When the judgement day arrives and god smites those who were unfaithful to him with the hammer of pestilence and death or something like that... I was never much for religion."

Sally looked even more angered.

"I've been at this for years my love, making sure Knothole would suffer trial, even going so far as to place myself as King with you of all people. I had a loyal following especially with the Wolf Pack Freedom Fighters beside me."

"You had them under your wing also?!"

"They were loyal enough to give themselves over, willingly."

"We left for our mission back when Shadow destroyed the village to take care of some business. Tell me haven't you ever wondered why it took Snively four years to try and wipe us out?"

Sally didn't like the sound of things.

"Civil unrest. We wanted to takeover, but Snively also wanted the world in his palm. Greedy Overlanders as they are, this world doesn't belong to them. So we double crossed him and made those dirigibles prone to fail. We saved the world just enough to make it look like an accident."

"Why kill one lesser lord for the other?"

"Immortality! Which man doesn't want it? As Robian servants we can live forever under the crating of our one true savior Robotnik."

Sally was disgusted. "I've had enough."

"There's plenty more my love, so, so much more."

"If you truly serve that dictator then I have nothing to say to you."

"These are truly the last days Princess. When the final hour approaches he will see your judgment and render it so. Those ones faithful to a life of eternity and those without faith, well... I'm sure you can imagine."

"And here you are saying you're not one for religion."

"Religion is something of hope. This here is a surety."

"How long?"

"Well I heard in the news you are having food shortages, and the great pangs of distress already too..."

"The earthquakes..."

"You have days... Maybe hours... Spend your time wisely."

Sally stood up stared into his eyes. He knew he didn't need to lie anymore. Anyone who can recognize the point of no return starts with the honest spilling of information. Sally got up and walked out of the room. Nothing further was needed from the former king; Geoffrey St. John had been the messenger of death.

_The Freedom Fighters regroup on the field_

"So this is how y'all spent all the other times?" asked Bunnie.

"Pretty much." Rouge folded her arms.

They were sitting there laying in the grass watching the clouds pass by as Sonic ran the obstacle course he had set up. It was nothing but a measly few slaloms of trash cans and a swing set acting as the free weights going to and fro.

"I can't wait until Sally gets back." Amy smiled.

"A few months ago you couldn't stand the broad..." Cream stated.

"I did not! It's just I've grown up since then." Amy scoffed.

"No you haven't." Cream flipped over. "You're obsessing over him as much as she obsesses over Tails."

Mina blushed.

"I still think he's cute..." Mina quietly stated.

"In his own, abandoning kind of way." Rouge shrugged.

"Tails is on his own journey, when we cross paths again I'm sure he'll be better suited to take us on, with words or with action."

"My vote is for action." Omega slammed his fists together. "Ah to kill again..."

Sonic sped over. "Nobody is killing anybody. I thought I told you guys to leave him to me. He's my little brother and it's only I right I talk to him."

"If you condescend to him like that in person then he will kill you." Shadow stated.

"Pfft! Tails couldn't hurt a fly." Sonic waved off.

"Be he can hurt a Super Sonic." Rouge wagged her finger.

That comment hit Sonic hard. "He's mine, okay! Just leave him to me."

Sonic started to walk away when the air started to ripple with massive amounts of Chaos energy. All of the Freedom Fighters could feel it, even Antoine who had little to none of the force. They all stood up facing a single direction when the air rippled and out flashed a giant golden ring. It made a high-pitched sound as it resonated throughout Knothole. Nicole appeared alongside the Freedom Fighters ready to ask about the interference. The golden ring spun rapidly and then out flashes silver light. There were streaks of fire trailing across the field when it stopped at the edge of the crowd. A lone figure stood at the edge of the flames holding his kneeling position for only a second.

He wore gold and green armor all over his body with a red jumpsuit underneath and blue heavy gauntlets. He was about the same height as all of them with a purple visor covering his eyes. The only things exposed were the peach muzzle and the cocky smirk on his mouth. Soon the statuesque figure started to fall, literally fall horizontally. The figure reacted nonchalantly as he raised a heavy gauntlet and blasted out a grapnel. It latched onto a nearby tree and he reeled himself in. He swung around the trunk like a set of monkey bars and landed on the side. He stood up brushed his golden armor off.

"Oh man, I did not think I would make it here in time." he said, sounding oddly familiar. Sonic approached first, bearing a huge smile.

"Well I'll be the father of two gorgeous children!" Sonic slapped the new guy's hand. "Zonic the Zone Cop, what's happenin' my man."

"Nothing much, Sonic Prime, just hanging out."

"Past cool." Sonic rubbed his nose. "Man I haven't seen you since..."

"Since the last time you fought Scourge."

"Yeah! Back then he was Evil Sonic, another imposter to add to the list I guess."

"Sonic who is this again?" asked Amy.

"I can field this one." Zonic started. "I'm Zonic, a enforcer of the zones perpendicular to the No Zone."

"Can you say that in a way that condescends to us." Cream said.

Zonic smirked. "I police the alternate dimensions. Me and other versions of you guys make sure worlds run smoothly."

Sonic simply folded his arms. "You see a Freedom Fighters work is never done, my alternate self proves it."

Shadow stepped forward. "What brings you here to our world then?"

Zonic sighed, sitting down on the tree stump - still sideways. "It is an urgent matter I guess. Sonic I came to explain to you what's been going on."

"What's up bro?" Sonic asked with a bit of worry beyond it.

"I'm not sure if you all are aware but this Mobius is the first one, the source, Mobius Prime as we call it. Everything else after it is an extension of what goes on here, like Mobius Seventeen everyone is robots and Robotnik is trying to make them organic. On Mobius Thirty-Three everyone is a fish and on Mobius Eighty-Five you guys continually work with Robotnik to fight off constant alien invaders; that dimensions pretty cool actually..."

"What does being Prime have to do with this?" asked Mina. "Nothing we do here should affect anything on Mobius Three-thousand."

"Three-thousand? That's absurd!" Zonic stood up brushing off his pants. "What goes on here directly affects the other ninety-nine dimensions, excluding my own."

"What do you know this Sonic is pretty smart." Amy smiled.

"So..." Sonic tried to relate.

"So... This means everything!" Zonic huffed. "Using those Zone Starposts you managed to shift between your most alike dimension Mobius Two, or Moebius as you guys call it, where the balance of good and evil has been reversed. Even still there was a 'Robotnik' living on that world and on every other world you see."

"If this is Mobius Prime then what difference does it make!?" Sonic argued.

"It means everything!" Zonic rebutted. "If none of you are present on the source then the other dimensions cannot copy. The same goes for Sonic, the same goes for Amy, the same goes for Shadow, and unfortunately the same goes for Robotnik."

Sonic paused.

"You mean to tell me..."

"I had no choice, Sonic." Zonic said without remorse. "Balance across the dimensions had to be maintained. The good news is that a copy can act in place of the original."

Sonic slammed into Zonic, knocking the doppelganger cop from the stump. Sonic landed perfectly on the ground while Zonic fell to the next stump below. Zonic stood up when another Sonic attack came. Zonic used a homing attack and diffused Sonic's attack. Essentially they were the same person, having the same brand of attacks and abilities except with Zonic's perpendicular state he would have no running speed. Zonic blinked away after the homing attack and appeared back on the original stump.

"Sonic I only came to explain!" Zonic yelled.

Sonic darted back in front of the cop.

"You brought him back to us! You brought this maniac back into our lives!" Sonic spat. "Do you know how peaceful we had things? How there was no shadow over us anymore! I thought I had won this thing Zonic, I really did! But you bring this Robotnik here with a God-complex! You doomed every one of us here! Because of your actions, we have to live in fear yet again!"

"Sonic I'm sorry."

"I have kids now Zonic, I had nothing to lose before but now they are my whole world. We may be the same body but you are just as mad as Robotnik. Don't ever come back here again."

Sonic walked off, storming mad from the truth of Zonic's actions. The strings had been pulled and control over their world had been lost from the very start. Things were crumbling all over again.

The rest of the Freedom Fighters started to wane; Sonic had said what the others felt. Zonic started to open a portal back to the No Zone as Shadow lingered there.

"Why come now of all times?" he asked.

Zonic sighed. "There's a way to cheat the system, but it's risky."

Shadow folded his arms. "How?"

"I can't say right now, all you need to do is stay alive." Zonic approached his warp ring. "I'm letting through backup that can turn the tide in your favor."

"Zonic!" Shadow called.

The zone cop faced the black hedgehog.

"What's the fate of other Shadow's in the dimensions?"

Zonic paused, trying to find the words. "You truly are one of a kind."

The zone cop leapt from the tree and into the warp ring. He vanished amid the huge spill of Chaos Energy. Shadow was left alone in the middle of the field. The thought of being alone started to sink in.

Nicole appeared next to Shadow.

"What is it now?" he asked.

"We've received new information." Nicole started. "Sally has returned calling a congregation of the Freedom Fighters in Freedom HQ."

"Sounds like we have some initiative around here."

"Sally sounded urgent, she made reference to this time being the Last Days."

Shadow finally looked Nicole's way. "With a Reckoning occurring, a god-like despot, and world problems what more is a deadly omen over our heads?"

Shadow blasted away leaving Nicole in the field and most likely heading toward the meeting. Nicole just watched and lifted her eyes to the sky.

Mobius was in peril.

**Welcome back to a new exciting arc of Sonic 51. I'm very pleased with the way this story is going to turn and above all I would like to thank the fans for the reviews and encouragement; it truly has been a great run. That doesn't mean I won't stop writing though, or drawing. There is art up at /givannivan with more to come – obviously. Review. Subscribe. Feedback PLEASE! Up, over and gone!**


	42. Chaos In Freedom

Nicole appeared in Freedom HQ.

She was just in time as the Freedom Fighters finally settled into their chairs, while King Elias and Sally were sharing in a private conversation. Sonic darted in lastly holding a half-eaten chilidog.

"Yo Sal!" Sonic zipped next to his fiancé. "Chilidog?"

"Not now Sonic." she half-heatedly smirked.

"How'd everything go?" he asked.

"I'll explain it all just be a little patient, we just got some odd news..." Sally sidestepped.

"What kind of news?" asked Sonic.

"Something that shouldn't happen." King Elias approached the others seated at the table and stood regally among them. Sonic darted to the back of the room and sat next to Antoine and Bunnie. Sally stood next to her brother for a second and then took the chair beside.

"I'm glad you all could make it here despite the urgency of the meeting."

"It's not like we were doing anything important anyway." Cream folded her arms. "Sorry."

"Do we have a decent strategy for battle now?" Shadow asked.

"Yes! My thoughts exactly!" Omega added, "I need to make sure my weapons are firing properly after this drought of inactivity."

"Don't worry, you won't be inactive anymore, your unit will receive a mission." Elias informed.

"Hopefully it involves a few jewels this time." Rouge leaned back in her chair.

"Possibly..." the King went to the desk behind him and picked up a folder. "Angel Island just received an earthquake, the very first of its existence that we know."

"Yeah that's kind of impossible right?" Sonic questioned.

"Sonic's right!" Amy stood up. "Angel Island floats doesn't it!"

"More disturbing news is that the seismic readings matches the ones we've been getting the past few months." Nicole explained.

"Yes, yes exactly!" Sally agreed. "The epicenter of the quake was in the Echidnapolis ruins not far from the city. There may still be some aftershocks so I believe King Elias is sending the agents to assist"

"Right, I'm sending Shadow, Omega, and Rouge acting as leader, to help Knuckles and Julie-Su anyway you can."

"Mmm Knuckles, there's a jewel I'd like to steal." Rouge let her thoughts slip yet again.

"You're sending a brute, a thief, and a emo to... Help? This is a dark, dark day." Cream folded her arms.

"Dark huh?" Rouge graced her chin. "That's a good name for our little unit don't you think?"

Sonic stood up, sliding the chair back in the process. "Whoa, whoa,whoa! I've got half a mind to think Robuttnik has his hand behind this."

"You do have half a mind." Amy smirked

"Sonic that is preposterous... Robotnik doesn't have the ability to generate earthquakes. These numbers are pretty high for any machine to force." Sally reasoned.

"Did we all forget this guy built a giant egg that turns flesh into parts!" Sonic exclaimed.

"I am starting to be believing that Sonic may be having a point..." Antoine gestured.

"Thank you Ant," Sonic pointed. "I see someone is my new favorite person in the room."

"I think you're right too Sonic." Mina desperately added.

"Sonic, these are magnitude seven-point tremors, he would have to have Chaos Emeralds backing his machines and fake ones would still fall considerably short from the real thing." Nicole added. "It is a good theory at least. I believe this Reckoning has all of us on edge."

The Freedom Fighters went silent for a little bit. The hologram never said more real words than just now.

"On edge is just right." Sally turned to the team, "I just returned from an interrogation of a former delegate to Knothole."

"Geoffrey St. John." King Elias sighed. "How'd it go?"

"He was a traitor to us the entire time. He said he managed to keep Snively from wiping us out because he was so devoted to Robotnik. He had his loyal Wolf Pack Freedom Fighters roboticized so that he could remain in the shadows pulling Knothole down into oblivion. We're still cleaning up the messes he made."

"Unbeleivble." Shadow balled his fists. "The claws of manipulation dig deep within this city."

"Not with I as ruler they don't." Elias added.

Sally continued. "Still, we're trying to root out corruption and the biggest stain on our lives returns to enslave a whole collection of continents. All we have left now is Knothole and Angel Island. Our struggle needs to be tethered together with trust and hope, which is why Team Dark is being sent as emissaries and ambassadors to aid anyway they can."

"Well when you put it like that..." Rouge hopped up. "I look forward to things then."

"That's the kind of spirit I need." Sally showing a smile.

"We will leave as soon as possible, but I will need a Chaos Emerald if I want to make the jump while maintaining my energy." Shadow turned to Sonic.

Sonic smirked. "You can ask me next time." Sonic let the Grey Emerald fall into his hand from the invisible Chaos Energy and he tossed it to Shadow. The black hedgehog caught it and gave a small smirk to the hero.

"I will let them know you are on your way." King Elias nodded. "You will be under King Knuckles'..."

"Sounds like a good time." Rouge interrupted.

"...supervision." Elias continued. "You may be working with the Chaotix so be peaceable about things, I know they tend to be a bit territorial."

"I will draw new boundaries for them to adhere to then." Omega cocked his guns.

Shadow lead Omega from the king's presence as Rouge saluted. "We'll take care of things handsome, leave it all to us."

Team Dark left Freedom HQ via elevator as the rest of the Freedom Fighters stayed put.

"Are we having any more information on this Reckoning that is supposing to be occurring?" Antoine asked.

Sally shook her head. "Other than the new information Geoffrey St. John told us, and the Overlander's archives of the number six-hundred sixty-six, we have nothing."

We'd figure out what the number means but our resources are already spent."

"I think it's the number of times I beat Robuttnik at his own game." Sonic kicked back.

Hmm…" the whole room uttered. The thought of the mystery entrapped them all, even looming a brief silence so that they could consider things. The silence, however, was broken with a more taxing question from Mina.

"So now what do we do?"

"We're going to prepare for another mission for Robotropolis. The last times we had failed in our approaches because we were too big. We had everyone here minus Bunnie and Antoine going in at one time. What we need are multiple points of entry with small teams, pairs and trios. With smaller units we can spread wider and also utilize backup more efficiently."

"Sounds good to me." Amy smirked. "So what are teams then?"

Sally snapped to her answer. "We're going to prepare for another mission to Robotropolis, that's what. The last times we had failed in our approaches because we were too big. We had everyone here minus Bunnie and Antoine going in at one time. What we need are multiple points of entry with small teams, or actually pairs. With smaller units we can spread wider and also utilize backup more efficiently."

"Sounds good to me." Amy smiled. "So what are the teams then?"

"With Shadow, Rouge and Omega as a unit it will be Amy, Cream, and Mina with Bunnie and Antoine as a covert pair with Sonic and I likewise." Sally explained.

"What about Rotor?" asked Amy. "He's still one of us!"

"All that faking about his back problems became true, he's somewhere applying an ice pack to the old spine." Sonic leaned back.

"We wish him a speedy recovery but for now he's using what talents he has to assist Dr. Nate Morgan in his research." King Elias explained.

"It's because of their diligence we have a keener eye on our fare city." Nicole eyed her fingernails and rubbed them on her torso –that coming from Nicole, the city moderator, Knothole becomes a sanctuary in these desperate times. The Freedom Fighters discussed details and minor subjects until adjourning for the day. King Elias made his way to the surface to deal with more day-today issues in the court of his castle.. Mina, Amy, and Cream went to go help with food supply as Antoine and Bunnie decided where they were going to get some lunch at.

"I heard that there was a new restaurant on Woodcrest Avenue and that they make a mean apple pie." Bunnie explained.

"That is sounding good right about now." Antoine agreed.

"Maybe me and Sal'll join you guys." Sonic stopped before them.

"Another time maybe." Sally held up the rear. "I could use some alone time with my fiancé."

Bunnie clasped her hands together. "Ain't that the sweetest thing y'all ever seen."

"That's sweeter than a half-price chili dog." Sonic sped and picked up his lady. "It's about time we had a date."

Sally wrapped her arms around his neck and the two darted off. Antoine and Bunnie did likewise and traveled to their destination. Sonic and Sally ended up in the park enjoying a box lunch from a local deli and resting underneath a park side tree.

Sonic continued his story. "So I ended up running to catch her. And I was like finally through all this struggle and fighting and nearly getting eaten twice I finally saved this dame."

Sally laughed at Sonic's anguish of the story.

"So we were - where were we? Oh yeah we were in this cave and I lift the bag from over head and her head inflated like a parade balloon. She had a clown face as confetti and lights shot out from her! I was like what the heck man..."

Sally toppled over from the hilarity and wiped a tear. "That was what you were seeing in your coma?"

"Hedgehogs don't lie." Sonic held up his right hand. "And that clown-face light show went on for hours man. Endless cycle of torture and rubber noses... Ugh!"

"Well I'm glad you finally woke up from it." Sally felt his cheek.

"I just hope this isn't a dream." Sonic kissed his future wife as she pinched his arm. Sonic flailed from the pain as Sally smirked.

"You just couldn't resist could you?"

Sally shook her head.

"You know what's gotta happen now, don't you?"

Sally nodded leaning in for one more kiss, then she playfully slapped his cheek and ran off.

"Ah you're gonna get it now!" Sonic leapt up and immediately fell down to the ground.

"You'll never catch me Sonic Hedgehog." Sally exclaimed. Sonic looked down to his sneakers which the laces were tied together. Sally was good. Sonic sat on his backside and struggled to undo the expert knot she tied. By now, Sally was out of sight but Sonic would quickly make up for it. He blasted from the park and took to the trail. He made a few turns looking for the crafty princess. Sonic found her running away and swiftly scooped her up.

The two ran off into the city, as day became dusk with the sun setting with a radiant orange over the countryside. Sonic and Sally sat on the porch in each other's arms watching their children play in the front yard. Rosie had returned them shortly after Station Square was captured. She had straightened them out a lot as far as manners went but those attitudes were still in need of work.

"Manic!" Sonia yelled. "Give it back!"

The hedgehog was a bit taller now with his spines becoming a lot bluer now that he had aged a little bit. He was holding up Sonia's doll as she started to get up from her imaginary fashion show with the other dolls.

"I want my monster truck to run her over!" Manic complained. Sonia swiped for the doll as Manic darted out of the way. Sonia fell to the ground as Manic stood cocky over his sister. Sonia was starting to look like her mother also with reddish tint to her wild purple hair. Her fur had been browning also as time went on. She looked up to her brother with anger and then a confident smile rose on her face as Manic immediately questioned. Sonia went into a spin dash and rolled across the ground to Manic's toys. Sonia picked up Manic's monster truck and held it ransom.

"Give her back or I break it!" Sonia demanded.

"Not Grave Digger!" Manic nearly caved. "No you give it back or I break!"

The two were deadlocked.

Often times this is where the parents intervened and this time was no different. Sally would usually settle these sibling-rivalries with a time out or an educational lesson.

Sonic called to his children. "Race for it!"

Sally hit him lightly on the chest. "Sonic!"

The kids looked to each other and got into a stance.

"One lap around Knothole." Manic stated.

"First one back gets the toys. All of them!" Sonia added.

"Three, two, one, go!" Manic rapidly shouted and blasted off at a measly one-hundred miles an hour.

"No fair!" Sonia screamed after him.

Sonic leaned back. "That's good parenting right there."

Sally would say he's encouraging rivalry among the two but she backed down for now. It was a lovely evening thus far and she needed the security from him after such a troubling period of time. She nestled against his arm as he wrapped around her and looked over the yard and into the city. The lights were starting to come on as the sun dipped beneath the tree line.

"Sal..." Sonic lowly started.

"Yes..." she didn't even open her eyes.

He paused.

"What is it?"

"You said you had something to tell me..."

Sally's eyes went wide. She had nearly forgotten about that seeing as how her engagement happened just moments after.

Sonic continued. "On the Death Egg, you said you'd been keeping a secret all this time... and..."

"Sonic..."

"I can understand you have your privacy and all that and you need your energy in other things for Knothole and All I really need to know is... If it will hurt us in the future..."

Sally finally looked him in the eye and kissed him. "You don't have anything to worry about."

Sonic sighed loudly. "Well that's a relief! Geez! I thought you were gonna tell me you had cancer or something."

Sally smiled. "Nothing like that."

"So what do you need to tell me?"

"Now's not the time. Let's just sit here and be happy."

Sonic looked at her smugly "We'll talk about this later?"

Sally hit him lightly on the chest. "We'll talk about this later..."

Sonic lightly laughed and directed his attention to the sunset. The brilliance of the light was the perfect setting for these old lovers. The purple in the sky somehow blended with the orange backdrop of Knothole. Sonic clutched his lady a little tighter happy to have her back in his arms after the long business days away. Something caught Sonic's attention above the sun as three huge birds were riding the thermals up above. He'd never seen them hover so high nor so close together. Also they looked misshaped until a round object fell from the three of them. Sonic leaned forward a bit to watch when Nicole appeared at their stoop.

"Proximity Alert!" Nicole screamed.

Sally and Sonic were on full alert, jumping up to the sound of Nicole's warning. Sonic eyed the ladies and then back to the round objects falling toward the ground. Sonic darted for the yard.

"Our kids!" Sally screamed.

"Don't worry I'll bring them back here!" Sonic kept his eyes on the three objects. They were huge metal containers formed in the shape of a silo with a yellow plunger aiming down. These were storage units used to contain animals for future robotization except ten times bigger. They slammed down in Knothole's territory expertly releasing the side doors to reveal the dastardly plan. Thousands of badniks rained from the silos effectively making this a full-scale invasion.

Knothole was under attack.

Buzzbombers raided the sky, motobugs ran the streets, and chompers invaded the waters. Every other badnik filled the spaces in between. It was all-out panic in the sunset of Knothole. Sonic and Sally couldn't believe their eyes. Then Sally sprang into the yard.

"Sonic Go!" she yelled. The blue hedgehog was off instantly as the princess turned to her friend.

"Nicole listen to me carefully." she looked intently. "I need the Freedom Fighters in key locations around Knothole. I want Amy and Mina in central with Cream on the highest vantage point. King Elias needs to head directly to Freedom HQ along with my children. Alert the citizens to stay within their homes, take refuge, and remain on defense. I need the Royal Guard to assist in assaulting the ground units. I want our city defenses to aim toward the sky to assist Cream."

"Should I pull back Team Dark?"

"No. They are already ankle deep in Angel Island management by now. Let them be."

"What will you do Sally?"

"I'm going to see if I can hack into their system; make them all go down at once."

Sally started to run toward the city walls. There was a tunnel way underneath the city where she could navigate to get to key places and Nicole's mainframe room would be her destination. Nicole quickly fulfilled her tasks getting orders out in split second timing. Elias was headed to safety and the Royal Guard were already setting up an east to west sweep of the city. The Freedom Fighters had gotten into position while frightened citizens remained in the safety of their homes. Once all those things went checked the city defenses managed to start with looming towers raising to the sky and aiming up. The war was like a windswept storm and appearing from nowhere but that didn't mean Knothole went unprepared. With their battalion in position the fight for freedom would begin quickly especially with Sonic the Hedgehog on the job.

_|_|_|_ Team Dark arrives at Angel Island capital Echidnapolis _|_|_|_

Shadow, Rouge and Omega appeared from the bright brief flash oflime and white. The Chaos Reentry always had a flare of intrigue but it scared these locals. Team Dark ended up right in the middle of the city being surrounded by frightened citizens. There were a lot of forest creatures present with echidnas of course and even a polar bear or too. These people resided among the massive trees overlooking the edge of their sacred floating island. Though this area suffered a flash forest fire many years ago it looked like it was thriving.

Rouge stepped forward clearing her throat. "We come from Knothole! We are your allies in the fight against Robotnik."

The crowd grew even more hush. They didn't know what to think of such bold people.

Omega opened up his cannons and stepped forward. "Take us to your leader."

Shadow pushed his artillery down. "Where does King Knuckles reside?"

One by one the citizens grew more comfortable around these newcomers and pointed to behind them. Team Dark turned around and barely spotted it behind the thick brush.

"This place is already starting to annoy me." Shadow mumbled while pushing through the crowd.

The trio took to the path and traveled among the citizens. There were a lot of shops and markets along the forest floor with huge green leaves acting as normal-sized trees. The more they traveled the wider the street became until it started to be red clay brick under their feet. They were on the majestic path to pyramid shaped building on a hill. It was built in between two trees, which curved away in opposite directions. This was a perfect place to settle the kingdom. The palace was all tan and had an Aztec feel to it with the ancient designs and crude markings. The Freedom Fighters entered the palace and immediately placed Knuckles talking to a group of his.

"Well, look who decided to join the party." Knuckles butted his huge fists together.

"We've come to offer up our assistance, good king." Shadow stated.

"Yeah, Julie told me all about it." Knuckles folded his arms. The way he sounded it was as if she was running things. Sure he didn't mind the grunt work but lately it was all he had been doing. The earthquake was now the top priority and it was full of hard labor. The Freedom Fighters were all aboard to assist in any way and Knuckles appreciated that.

"Where's the danger at red?" Rouge asked feeling on the king's muscles.

"The earthquake happened in the ruins just beyond the big waterfall entry to Hydrocity Zone."

"How are things down there?" Rouge asked eyeing Knuckles.

"Pretty bad." Knuckles summarized. "The area is in shambles."

"Well if that's how you describe your crotch..." Rouge winked.

Shadow rolled his eyes. "Enough of this, can we go?"

Knuckles waved a fist at the bat and sighed letting out some of his anger.

"Chaotix!" Knuckles called.

The eager agents filed in one by one as Team Dark looked on with arrogant confidence.

"This is Chaotix?" asked Omega.

The Chameleon stepped forward with his eyes locked on the opposition. His base color was lavender with yellow spikes making a row from forehead to tail. He wore heavy black gauntlets with a simple black sash over his torso.

"Welcome Freedom Fighters." his deep low voice rattled Rouge to the core.

"Hey there yourself." Rouge smiled.

"I am Espio." he labeled. "Auxiliary leader of this squad. This is Vector."

The green crocodile was huge with a huge upper body and little legs. He wore a simple white tee with gold chains around his neck, sagging black pants, and nice boots to round out his gear. He shifted his expensive headphones back and nodded to the group.

"That is Charmy."

"Hiya!" the busy bee waved. He was by far the youngest with his high voice signaling he hadn't reached puberty yet. He had goggles on his head with his antenna jutting up behind them. He wore a scarlet vest and brown cargos that went well with his yellow and black body.

"And Mighty."

Mighty was huge, even having more muscle than the formidable Knuckles. His body was completely black with no shine whatsoever and cold eyes that rivaled Shadow's. He wore baggy grey pants and brown boots with armored gloves that matched. From his head was a natural armored hood that draped down to his tail. He said nothing as he glared at Shadow and Omega.

"Good to meet ya!" Charmy zoomed over and shook hands. "Wow you're really pretty, you want to be my girlfriend! We can go to Chester Cheese!"

"Charmy!" Vector yanked him back. "Will you give the lady some room? She probably already stole something from you."

"You always were the snitch, Vector." Rouge waved her finger, smiling to the croc.

"You two know each other?" Shadow asked.

"Vector and I grew up in the same village. We've known each other forever." Rouge slapped Vector's hand. "We go way back."

"And it's a good thing too." Knuckles added. "Hopefully your friendship will be an example to the others."

Mighty and Espio looked to each other as Shadow and Omega did likewise.

"We should head out. There were a few people living in the ruins that may need assistance." Espio sidestepped.

"Knuckles." his wife called.

The echidna turned around as Rouge heavily sighed.

Julie-Su met with her husband. "We just got these from Knothole, their earbuds and we can... Oh... It's you..."

"You're majesty." Rouge curtsied. "Even that is a stretch."

"Rouge. Still looking for shiny rocks?" Julie-Su asked.

The bat started to speak as Knuckles stepped between them. "Thanks baby. We were just about to leave."

"You and the Chaotix be safe okay?" Julie rubbed his cheek.

"Don't worry mom we'll be back in one piece." Vector elbowed Rouge in the side.

"Yeah cut the cord already." Rouge nudged the croc back.

"Make sure the bat doesn't get to dirty being a whore." Julie-Su kissed her man. "Bye my King!"

Knuckles watched her go for a little bit and then walked through the agents. "Let's go!"

_|_|_|_ Knothole was in the middle of a strenuous battle _|_|_|_

Sonic blasted off from his home and headed east. Robots flurried across the sky tumbling down over homes and streets. Several robots clanged in front of Sonic as he dodged and ducked the bots. Before long, Sonic ceased his dodging and destroyed the minions with a quick series of homing attacks. That was twenty down in one fell swoop then Sonic continued his dogged pursuit.

Manic and Sonia were trapped in the corner as Grounders encircled them. Sonic paused momentarily to observe then darted to save his beloved.

"Now!" Sonia called.

Manic grabbed both of his sisters hands and they flipped into ball mode. Manic smashed into the closest Grounder as Sonia crashed into the one beyond it. Sonia and Manic soared up from the bounce and used a simultaneous homing attack and swirled around each other to knock back the other two. Manic and Sonia landed staring the last Grounder down. It was simply a robot and charged still until it exploded from a much more powerful Homing attack. The bot clattered into parts as Sonic landed and tackled Sonia and Manic to the ground. A flurry of laser bolts rained down from Buzzbombers above the walls. Sonic got up and slammed into the trio of bees and scrap rained down.

"Daddy!" Sonia yelled. Sonic landed and spun toward his offspring.

"We got trouble." Sonic gathered his children. "And you did good while it happened. Now I need you guys to be safe."

"What's going on dad?" Manic asked.

"I hoped my children would never have to fight this battle." Sonic scoffed. "But here you are... And there's no changing it."

Manic and Sonia looked at their father's intense face.

"If you're going to fight," Sonic instructed. "Watch each other's backs, the homing attack can leave you stranded in the air so make sure you find your next move or a good landing spot. Always look before leaping and there's never such a thing as too fast. Stay together stay strong. Let's do it to it."

Sonic held out his fist as his children bumped fists with him. He stood up and observed the surroundings. Badniks were everywhere but a resistance had been mounted and he could see Cream delegating the airborne robots with Control. Manic and Sonia peeled out with Sonic right on their heels. His wide scope of vision and faster speed would allow a quick response should something assault them. The family rounded a corner as several Newtrons were on the wall. Sonic leapt to trash the first three while the second trio fired energy bursts for the young ones. Manic and Sonia split from the danger and homed in on two of three. Sonic smashed the remaining one and lead them out from danger. They retreated to their home as Nicole awaited them.

"Come on children. You know the drill." Nicole blinked onto the porch. There was an emergency escape route in the basement of their house in case something happened. Paranoid as Sally seemed at the time of its construction, now was the time for praise.

"Daddy!" Sonia called.

"I'll be back for you guys." Sonic started to speed away. "Just hang tight and listen to Nicole."

Nicole lead them through the living room and blinked at the door leading to the basement.

"Eww spiders!" Manic pointed.

There were two relatively small mechanical spiders crawling from the bedrooms. Sonia pushed her brother to keep moving.

"Keep moving slow-mo!" Sonia urged. The children retreated into the basement safe and sound with Nicole as their guide. Outside, Sonic started his pursuit into the city. The streets were filled with scrap and injured Knotholans. The badniks were doing damage but the people were putting up a fight. Sonic sped through the southwest square when badniks started to pursue him. Motobugs, Rollers, and Yadrins were all hot on his tail. Sonic ducked through a system of alleys with the bots barely maneuvering through. Each time a turn was made a Motobug would spin out and smash into a corner or a Yadrin would shake from the high speed. When the crowd of bots thinned Sonic burst onto the main road. Sonic looked back to see around five or six on his tail when Sonic tripped. He hit the stone ground hard and slid.

"Anybody get that guys license plate?" Sonic rubbed his head. "Ah!"

Sonic dodged left then dodged right. Crawltons were mounted to each corner of the surrounding buildings jutting out to knock Sonic back. If he had seen the Caterkiller he had tripped on, none of this would have happened. Sonic ducked barely getting under the latest slash. Sonic went into a spin dash as the next Crawlton rammed into it. The flurry of raw speed sent his head reeling from the building. Sonic added his imbued abilities and a tornado appeared ripping the area apart of badniks. Sonic swirled back into standing position and dusted his shoulders.

"All in a days... ouch!" Sonic jumped.

Crabmeat had clipped onto his tail. Sonic reeled back his leg and kicked the bot down the street. Sonic sighed from relief as he realized the claw was still on his tail. Sonic sighed and went into another spin dash and released the grip. Royal Guards ran down the street passing Sonic by. The blue hedgehog stood up and followed. He managed to get to the east gate of Knothole where Slicers and Shellcrackers were keeping a tight perimeter. Slicers threw their long razor-like hands like boomerangs while Shellcrackers kept anything from attacking their vulnerable body's. Sonic sped in front of the scene sticking out like a blue thumb.

"Hey stupid!" Sonic called.

The robots stopped and gave their attention to the hedgehog.

"Ha you looked!" Sonic darted off. Shellcrackers started to walk after the hedgehog as Slicers threw their razors after the blur. Royal Guardsmen swooped in quickly annihilating the defenseless mantis bots. The Shellcrackers were nothing feared with a rear assault. The strong-line was taken out quickly as Sonic still ran through the city. He ended up north with Cluckers firing egg missiles at the Royal Guardsmen. They were pinned down beyond barricades as Sonic surveyed the scene. The blue hedgehog dropped down and slashed his arms. An acute Sonic Wind slashed apart all the chicken-based robots to smithereens. Sonic saluted the guardsmen and darted to the west where a dastardly robot had taken a woman hostage within a school building.

"Who is it?" asked Sonic.

"It's a couple of badniks who know you well." explained a puma guard.

"I'll take care of it. You guys help the battalion." Sonic nodded to the captain and watched them leave. He entered into the school gym and immediately noticed how shady things were. Then the lights flickered on with two robots at the other side. One was tall with long legs and a leery face while the other was short and had treads for legs.

The tall one had his signature laugh. "You fell right into our trap."

The short one wheeled forward starting the drills on his arms. "We finally caught you Sonic the Hedgehog."

"Scratch?" Sonic questioned. "Grounder? I see ol' Buttnik dug in the bottom of the barrel for you guys.

"More like bottom of the best barrel!" Grounder waved his spinning drills.

"Yeah!" Scratch added. The two inched closer as Sonic sat and thought about things.

"So there's still a barrel for the best?"asked Sonic.

The two bots paused.

"Well no!" Grounder started.

"But you just said it was. You even agreed." Sonic pointed.

Sonic sped in between the two putting his arms around both of them.

"Well ya see Sonic," Scratch squawked, "I'm much more smarter than him. I just like to give him some props every now and then."

"Yeah right!" Grounder scoffed. "If anything I'm the smart one. Who managed to make up that hostage situation so that we could capture Sonic?"

"Oh yeah I remember that..." Sonic shook his head.

"Whatever scrap for brains!" Scratch shoved Grounder. "I came up with the plan."

"No way, Mrs. Hen! This is my plan." Grounder shoved Scratch.

"Children, children!" Sonic settled them down and slammed their heads together. "This is _some_ plan."

Scratch and Grounder flailed across the hardwood as the lights flashed on.

"It's my plan!" the monkey screamed. His robotic feet stomped across the bleachers in rage as the light on his head flashed. "I picked the hostage, I picked the location, I picked the target, it's my plan!"

"Coconuts!" Sonic shook his head. "It's a weekday afternoon reunion."

"You bet it is hedgehog!" Coconuts grabbed the little girl and showed her to Sonic. "And this time there's nothing you can do about it! What!?"

Sonic slid across the floor with the little girl in his hands. He rested her on the ground and stepped in front of her.

"You guys are gettin' bold in your old age." Sonic smirked.

"There's no way you're that fast!" Coconuts complained. "I did the planning, the calculations! You should be pushing four-hundred as top speed."

"You overgrown paper weights ain't even good at calculating." Sonic shook his head.

"Get him!" Scratch yelled.

"I'm gonna drill out his eyes!" Grounder war cried.

"What's one past cool hedgehog plus three outdated toasters?" Sonic revved up a spin dash. Before they could make their next move, the three robots were instantly broken into pieces and scattered across the floor. Sonic skidded to a stop and looked over the parts. Scratch's voice module was sending out the last of his signature laugh as it pitched down slowly.

"An easy problem to solve." Sonic nodded. He grabbed the little girls hand and helped her up but it was eerily cold. She had orange hair that covered her face and a cute polka dot dress on her.

"You okay little missy?" asked Sonic trying to look into her eyes. She lifted up her head and squeezed Sonic's hand like a clamp.

"An easy problem indeed." the girls robotic voice stated.

"Gotta juice!" Sonic did a single spin dash letting the little girl robot fly to the other end of the gym. Sonic turned tail and darted for the exit when the robot exploded into a massive fireball. The gym was completely scorched with concrete and wood being sent out every which way. Sonic soared through the sky having taken a major hit from the blast. Sonic gained his balance in midair and landed with an uncoordinated slide into a park of Knothole.

"I gotta thank the guy who gave me these powers." Sonic felt his head. Laser fire covered over the park as Sonic immediately darted behind a tree. This plan was too well thought of for it to be one of those idiot robots ideas. Sonic peered out from the tree when more laser fire clipped the wood.

"Surround him." the general commanded. Sonic had heard the voice before but couldn't place it. Sonic went for another peek when he heard the barreling steps of a new robot. Sonic homed in on the round orange body of this robot and it fell to its back. Sonic landed on the ground and watched it get back up.

No other badnik had done that before.

Sonic pressed into the tree a little more. The burns of the explosion were already wearing him down not to mention he had been fighting all over the city previously. He heard even more daunting steps behind him as these orange round body robots cut off an exit. Sonic expended an extra life, converting his Chaos Energy into restorative Life Force , to fight this oncoming battle. Sonic crouched, ready to blast off into the nearest newcomer.

"Bout time I got a fair fight!" Sonic smirked.

Sonic ducked in surprised as the tree he was standing behind went completely to the ground. A giant sword had taken it down with one fell swipe. Sonic rose to see what had done it when his face deflated. Two of the same round-bodies were clad in silver and black as one held a hammer and the other possessed a sword.

"First time fighting the Egg Pawns? It will be your last." the general's voice rang from a hollow robotic speaker. He soared down in between the two weapon-wielding pawns, controlling the Egg Mobile with expert ability. Sonic rubbed the underside of his nose and leapt onto the cleanly cut stump.

"Well if it isn't EggRobo." Sonic shook his head. "I thought Knuckles took care of you."

EggRobo was a humanoid version of the vicious Doctor Robotnik. He was mainly used to divert Knuckles from assisting Sonic in the siege of the Master Emerald years ago. It was explained that EggRobo was scattered by Mecha Sonic in the Sky Sanctuary Zone but the original blueprints may have been intact. Either way EggRobo was back and returning with a plan to abscond with Knothole.

"I've moved on from small problems to minor inconveniences. You will succumb to the Regime. This battle proves it." EggRobo explained.

"Tell Robotnik to come here and do his own dirty work." Sonic clinched his fists.

"Master has far better things to do than play exterminator. I'm simply here to amass kills. Egg Pawns! Scatter his remains!"

The orange pawns leapt and tackled themselves. Sonic disappeared into the sky from a Sonic Tornado but the pawns didn't flinch. They adjusted their creepy helms and readied a fatal swing.

"Sonic Wind!" the hedgehog said. A bluish wind scattered from his arm and slashed across the pawns.

No effect.

The pawns readjusted and got ready to deal with an inbound hedgehog. Sonic homed in on a group and knocked them all down. The hammer pawn gave chase and slammed his mallet. Sonic quickly dodged and spun dashed right into the chest of the pawn. He went sailing through park when the sword pawn slashed and missed cutting through three pawns chests. Sonic smirked as he rose to his feet.

"Looks like you're working for me now!" Sonic blasted off. He grabbed the pawns wrists and used his speed to pull the robot along. Multiple slashes screeched through the hard shells of these robots. Sonic enjoyed the ironic twist when a hammer knocked the hedgehog and pawn apart. Sonic flailed across the lawn as the sword pawn quickly stood up.

"Happy endings, Sonic the Hedgehog." EggRobo announced. The Egg Mobile started to fly higher into the air as the two remaining pawns closed in. Sonic started to jog after EggRobo when the hammer pawn drew closer and swung. Sonic easily sidestepped and watched the machine go off-balance. Sonic used a homing attack and sent the bot flailing. The sword pawn came next as Sonic dodged the quick succession of slashes. Vertical horizontal vertical again and then a quick diagonal and the sword pawn lost the blur. He returned his sword at his side when he noticed Sonic crouched on the huge weapon. Sonic spun dashed in combination with a Sonic Wind and mutilated the pawns head. The robot was finished as Sonic landed on the ground. The hedgehog went for the giant sword and struggled to pick up the heavy weapon. The hammer pawn got to its feet and started to charge. Sonic managed to get a good grip on the hilt and started to rotate. He became a shredder in a matter of seconds and then with enough speed and accuracy he released the blade. The pawn saw it coming and held his hammer in defense. The sword pierced the hammer and the body of the pawn in one succinct motion. The pawn fell to its knees and over to its shoulder. Sonic didn't wallow in his victory too much. He blasted off to the nearest high vantage point and scanned the skies.

Nothing in sight; EggRobo had vanished.

Sonic overlooked Knothole and sighed. The damage was severe and the injuries were racking up. The badniks had managed to catch Knothole off-guard and destroy small structures. Sally had fulfilled her mission to shut down the incoming signals coming to Knothole. Mission commands were continuous actions and the breaking connection sent the badniks into idling. Once in stationary position they were easily bested by the guards and Freedom Fighters. Sonic looked onto the horizon and dropped down.

_|_|_|_ The Chaotix and Team Dark arrived at the Echidnapolis Ruins_|_|_|_

"This is worse than I thought it would be." Vector started.

The area was completely stone with markings and ivy growing on the sides. There were huge monoliths acting as water feeders down to the Hydrocity Zone below. Knuckles and the team surveyed the surroundings; they knew this area very well. The remaining structures were pretty solid but this was simply the exterior. The Marble Gardens Zone would probably be in the worst shape.

"Ooo it's actually kinda pretty!" Charmy zipped by.

Mighty shot him a look.

"In a destructive and deadly way." Charmy cleaned it up.

"There may be people around here." Mighty started through the rubble. "Keep a close eye."

"We should head to the center and see what kind of damage we have here." Knuckles commanded. "I was told to institute pairs in case of danger."

"I thought the King gives orders." Shadow folded his arms.

Knuckles shot Shadow a look. "Just shut up. Espio and Rouge, Vector and Rouge, Mighty and Charmy, Me and Omega, and you can be the X-factor here."

Shadow folded his arms.

"Let's get moving then." Shadow darted off. The others followed behind in formation as they sailed through the ruins.

Rouge grabbed Espio's arm and cuddle real close to him.

"You're gonna protect me right?" Rouge asked.

"Looks to me you won't need that much protection. I heard you were an agent for G.U.N. for Station Square." Espio stated.

"Yeah back in the bad old days." Rouge shrugged. "You seem to do your homework."

"I have to." Espio poked his chest out a bit. "A ninja has to be informed. Also running the Chaotix I must be in ready."

"Where have you guys been anyway?" asked Rouge.

"We have been fighting our own villains. It's not just Robotnik trying to take over the evil trade. We have our own thugs trying to collapse the system."

"Dr. Finitevus..." Mighty stated. "He's been trying to rouse up the Dark Legion against his own people."

"What do you know? Another evil doctor." Shadow leapt across the gorge.

"Freedom Fighter Intel shows you were last seen at the Casino Night/Robotropolis gate doing recon." Omega stated.

"Oh yeah!" Charmy exclaimed. "That was at the beginning! We figured out Finitevus was stealing arms from Robotropolis to try and bomb Angel Island."

"It's funny how we haven't crossed the Freedom Fighters until now." Mighty stopped.

"We're not the Freedom Fighters."

"Yeah you're with us now!" Charmy flew over get them excited.

"Stop." Knuckles held up his hand.

The team came to a halt as they looked over a major sinkhole. The hole was deep even making a dark shadow amid the bright sun overhead. They surrounded the hole and peered down into it.

"We're here already?" Knuckles stood up.

"I think it's just too odd for Angel Island to get an earthquake." Vector commented.

"Odd?" Espio scoffed. "This is completely unreal."

"The hedgehog had a hunch." Shadow added.

"Well ain't that a tongue twister." Charmy side barred.

"Sonic said the good doctor is planning something big..." Shadow continued.

"Hmph... Sonic." Mighty nearly broke the ground he stood on with a nice stomp. "That hedgehog again."

"You guys have something against true blue?" Rouge asked.

Espio struggled a bit. "We respect he is our kings friend but he has strayed us in the past."

"Project: Endgame left us in the dark." the members of the Chaotix started to explain. "We didn't feel the need to align ourselves within the confines of Knothole at the time. We're just glad you guys came along though!"

"What's done is done." Knuckles knelt down, investigating the sinkhole. The ground rumbled again and the heroes all shook from the aftershock. The ground underneath started to crack and moan when it tumbled down. Charmy and Rouge took flight as the others fell into the sinkhole.

"C'mon kid!" Rouge commanded.

"Right behind you!" Charmy dashed ahead of the bat.

The Chaotix were in free fall heading toward the deep dark of the sinkhole. With Rouge and Charmy acting as the rescue squad. Both of these squads were unaware of the turmoil that occurred in Knothole. The assault of the badniks had left Knothole damaged and many wounded. The Freedom Fighters, seasoned from epic battles, managed to contained the machines siege. The mystery of the Reckoning was still over their heads while Robotnik was nowhere to be heard from or seen yet again. The threat was high still and with Robotnik in the background anything was possible.

**Review! Please send your feedback! See ya next week!**


	43. The Wrath of Robotnik

"Mommy!" Sonia and Manic ran to their mother.

"My babies." Sally hugged her children tightly. "Nicole got you here safely I see."

"No troubles along the way." Nicole chimed in. The Freedom Fighters had gathered back in Freedom HQ to discuss the happenings of the battle that just occurred. Robotnik and EggRobo had gone on the offensive.

"Yeah it was amazing!" Sonia described.

"Daddy let us smash the robots and they were all like kablooey!" Manic explained. "I laughed."

"Sonic!" Sally whisked her head to her fiancé.

"Hey without them I would have been toast." Sonic said, through a sluggish voice. His tiredness actually showing in his appearance now. Sally didn't press though, she would save it for a private conversation. Elias strolled through the mission room and folded his arms behind his back. His majesty looked unharmed from the battle and was stationed here for the time being. He didn't look too relaxed about things though. Of course, it was the natural feeling after their home had been ransacked and damaged.

Again.

"I was able to survey the battle from here." Elias started.

"And what a battle it was being." Antoine shook his head. "But we are prevailing yet again."

"True." Elias said taking a seat. "But this battle was meant to be lost."

"What do you mean?" asked Amy

"Distraction." Cream folded her arms and leaned back.

"Right." Elias leaned forward on the smooth white table. "The badniks are easy defeats. Why send them to die in a meaningless irresolute battle?"

"I guess that does make more sense than anything." Bunnie gestured.

"Maybe to discover Knothole's location?" Mina asked. "This place used to be secret right?"

"We believe Dr. Robotnik has known about our sanctuary since he returned." Nicole filled her in. "His need for theatrics and taunts only add to his apparent and dreadful madness."

"So what's the point then?" asked Sonia. The others looked at her with question. She hung on every word while her brother incessantly dug in his ear. Sally couldn't help but smile as Sonic dug in his ear.

"Look!" Sonic stood up. "While I was helping in the battle I was cornered in a situation. EggRobo's come back with new bots that are a lot tougher."

"EggRobo?" asked Elias. "Who is that?"

Sally explained. "He's a robot humanoid in likeness of Doctor Robotnik. I'd say he carries out the specific orders of that dictator."

"And he's usually used to throw us off." Sonic said grimly. "You guys still don't believe my hunch don't you?"

"Let's just move on from that theory..." Elias chuckled a tiny bit. "We're going to move on to a new subject matter – the siege of Robotropolis."

Sally tensed up at first but exhaled. Her previous sieges hadn't gone too well but that was only because of a large group. This battle, as unprepared as they were for it, showed her the readiness for the ominous. Sally stood up and nodded to her brother.

"It's time for us to go on the offensive." Sally said raising their spirits a bit. "We've been idling for too long. We need to head for Station Square. That's the newest line of factories and warehouses and Robotnik is going to make sure their working properly. That's where he'll operate from. If we can sabotage production there, he won't be able to finish his plan. Although we were unaware of things last time, we took the bait without factoring in Robotnik was behind things. If EggRobo has returned Sonic, then we will find him and if it's a trap we'll be ready."

"Everyone prepare thoroughly. You're going to hit him where it hurts." Elias closed his fist. Sonic sighed and stood up again. The Freedom Fighters dispersed back into Knothole ready to head into the belly of the best at a moment's notice.

_|_|_|_ Team Chaotix and Team Dark plunge into new depths _|_|_|_

Rouge grabbed onto Espio and Knuckles and flared her huge wings. She wasn't strong enough to carry two but their descent slowed just enough.

"Throw me!" Espio demanded. Rouge did likewise and tossed Espio toward the wall when the chameleon ran along the walls. He was quite fast with enough to secure him to the wall. Rouge released Knuckles also as he glided towards the wall. Charmy went down for Vector as Rouge redirected and zipped down for Shadow, Mighty and Omega. Charmy was unbelievably strong since being able to lift the heavy reptile. Rouge latched onto Shadow when he pointed to Mighty.

Rouge knew the routine instantly and tossed the hedgehog toward the armadillo. Shadow tackled the brute and they vanished in a quick Chaos Control. Rouge turned for Omega when Shadow reappeared and exited. The bat flared her wings and sailed back up. The teams reunited among the stone ruins and catching their breathes.

"We gotta be more careful." Knuckles surmised. "Earthquakes are something new to us around here."

"That sinkhole tried to murder us!" Charmy exclaimed.

"More like bury us alive!" Vector interjected.

"This wasn't here before, right Knuckles?" Mighty asked.

"Of course not," Knuckles circled around the hole, "but it's odd for it to appear at all. The Master Emerald should keep this island together pretty tightly."

"Maybe someone replaced that gem with a fake." Rouge shuddered.

"The Master Emeralds power is too concentrated for a swap. No one on Mobius could switch that."

"Someone from an alternate dimension could." Shadow stated.

"What does that mean?" Espio interrogated.

"Let's just keep moving." Rouge shoved Shadow next to Knuckles. "The more questions get asked the more irritated this one gets."

"Also I get the urge to kill. Again and again and again and again." Omega unveiled cannon after cannon.

"We're still not at the epicenter yet." Knuckles concluded. "Move out Chaotix."

_|_|_|_The Freedom Fighters reach their destination of the newly remodeled Station Square _|_|_|_

Sonic lead the team.

With Sally, Cream, Mina, Amy, Bunnie, and Antoine ready to invade the hedgehog set sights on the newest part of Robotropolis. Station Square, as it was once called, now named Megaopolis now with shiny new metal everywhere and pollution looming to the blue sky. In about a year, Megaopolis would be fully darkened under the sun just like the original Robotropolis. For now, the sun still beamed giving hope to the fighters for freedom.

Sonic felt exponentially better since having to fend off badniks from home. He expended a couple extra lives and flashed everyone here with Chaos Control. The six emeralds in his possession gave power to teleportation rather than strain the hedgehog. Sally mapped out a course on the sleeker designed black device called Lynx 3. Amy and Mina were stretching in place while Cream took on a huge yawn. Bunnie and Antoine were to the side calming themselves for the mission ahead; they were old pros. Sonic looked ahead to the shiny new Station Square and felt the guilt again. He wasn't fast enough to save everyone here.

He couldn't help but blame himself for it but he knew the real reason. This journey would lead them to some eventual answers should their paths cross again. The golden fox possessing nine tails was no longer an ally, rather a traitor to his people. That was over three months ago now and Sonic hadn't heard from him nor has he popped up anywhere. Sonic knew exactly what he was going to do if he saw his figurative little brother again. The admonition from Zonic only heightened things, revealing the Reckoning to be something truly revered. Dr. Robotnik would not stop until he had conquered everything living. Sonic tightened his fists, his resolve flaring to new heights as he felt his woman's touch.

"Sonic, you ready?" Sally smiled.

"Born ready." he nodded.

Sonic hopped down from a metal container and glanced to his team yet again. They were all geared to go just like he was.

"I plotted a course." Sally started. "We'll be in line formation with Sonic leading us and Cream in the rear providing defensive cover should we be attacked. The deeper we go the more likely we are to find a good target. Once we do we'll fan out into our small groups and form a solid plan."

"Robuttnik's going down tonight!" Sonic rubbed the underside of his nose.

"Let's do it to it." Amy battle cried. The team followed in Sonic's footsteps riding the wind reduction as Bunnie held Antoine in flight. They passed into Station Square where there was a hotel that leads to the Emerald Coast and past the sewer system to get to lower zones. Sally felt the breezes whisk by while in her fiancés arms as Amy, Mina, and Cream kept up. Sally plugged into her Lynx 3 and gathered a map for the area.

"It's pretty much the same layout save for a few buildings and electrical equipment." Sally stated.

"What about SWATbots?" asked Sonic.

"I'm not sure yet but I can get Nicole on it."

"Well that's new." Mina pointed. They looked up ahead and saw a huge monument in likeness to the goateed Doctor Robotnik. It was wearing an overcoat with only an arm exposed as if reaching to the heavens above. The statue was uncanny in likeness while the Freedom Fighters quickly passed it by. Beyond the statue was a huge factory branching out in road fork design. They all paused and looked on with wonder and disgust.

"Does that look like a big enough target for ya?" asked Sonic.

"Hide." Sally commanded.

The group scattered behind a few buildings while Sonic lingered for a bit. He darted back to the group and slid to entry.

"I didn't see any welcoming parties." Sonic rubbed his nose. "The ol' butt bot must be rustier than normal."

"Nicole how's that schematic going?" Sally asked.

"Maybe that lard lad forgot about SWATbots altogether but he made sure ain't no entrances." Bunnie scoped out the place.

"I am thinking this factory is being of high priority." Antoine gestured. "The location and the size are being too grand to pass by."

"The real question is why is it unguarded?" asked Amy revealed her hammer from her Chaos Energy. "If there's a better chance of opportunity it's now."

"Sally." Nicole's voice relayed from the Lynx device.

"What'd you find me Nicole?"

"Images show that it is a one-hundred thousand foot storage facility. There are connecting tunnels underground in order to cut sabotage rates. In fact, Megaopolis is completely run through the old sewers of Station Square."

"Back in Station Square they had too many subways and wide open sewer lines. Robotnik sure knows how to take advantage." Mina folded her arms.

"Don't act like you're a pro here, toots." Cream scolded.

"True as Mina's words are," Nicole continued, "They don't relieve the situation."

"Like what is Robotnik storing in there. Nicole, can you look for entrances."

"There are no ground entry points. Tunnel ways are highly cautioned with roving sentries of SWATbots. The nearest one is three kilometers away which I highly suggest not taking the risk. Sonic the Hedgehog."

Sonic stuck out his tongue.

"A forced entry sounds like a better plan then." Sally calculated. The warehouse is designed in three spokes jutting from a small central cabinet."

"Interior scans are not possible." Nicole stated. "A hit into the core is highly suggested."

"Then that's what we'll do." Sally nodded to her mates. "Send me everything you can find on the layout and what's being produced here."

"Understood." Nicole stated.

"Take an earpiece and divide into teams." Sally outstretched her backpack and had them dig in.

"Looks like it's time to start our own reckoning." Sonic smirked.

_|_|_|_ The Chaotix reach the epicenter amid the boundaries of zones _|_|_|_

The stone architecture had waned down since they emerged from the rubble of the Echidna Ruins. Now they were approaching the hills of the Marble Garden Zone. Ultimately, Marble Gardens was a valley in between the vast mountains of the island. They could look right through and see inklings of Carnival Zone. Their journey had taken them to the epicenter of an earthquake though which were far from normal on an island that floated.

Knuckles stepped forward first and quickly crouched. The Chaotix quickly mimicked as Team Dark questioned.

"What's going on?" asked Rouge.

"Those weren't there before." Espio stated.

"Or ever." Mighty tightened his fist.

The area was in shambles at the least, but in the core of it all was a series of walls laced with technology. Knuckles lead the team behind a collection of slabs and hid among the territory.

"This is definitely the epicenter." Vector pulled out his personal device; nothing comparable to the Lynx series though, "My scans show that this was recently put up. Like days ago."

"There's no central tower or anything... What's to guard?" asked Charmy.

"Or contain?" stated Mighty.

"Vector, start our mission log." Knuckles stated. "Mighty what kind of plan you got?"

"We can charge up until a few meters. The walls look structurally unsound in the middle. Pending security finds us we can infiltrate underground and find what we need."

Team Dark looked among each other.

"Why don't you let us infiltrate?" Rouge stepped forward, "We're under your all knowing guidance anyway, right?"

Knuckles huffed. "You got five minutes."

Rouge turned to her boys. "Alright I'll scout from the skies, await my signal, and we'll rendezvous on the south end. Team Dark move out."

Rouge lifted to the sky with her huge wings behind her. The thermals lifted her high as she scanned the ground below. She gathered an immediate reaction from base below and thought of the sinkhole again. She closed her eyes and let out a silent scream getting sentience from her echolocation. The scream reverberated and she gathered her intel. She flashed her wings twice when Shadow appeared from a Chaos Control and scooped her up. The pair appeared on the south end with Omega en route.

"What are the findings?" asked Omega.

"Two squads of SWATbots and a machine in the sinkhole epicenter." Rouge explained.

"Two squads?" Omega questioned. "Let's annihilate them!"

Shadow nodded grabbing them both. "Chaos Control!"

The trio flashed away and then appeared within the boundary. The SWATbots immediately went from monitoring the screens to battle stations. Omega unleashed his arsenal and fired rockets from his shoulder mounts. The blast sent away six bots already. Omega turned and sprayed a flurry of bullets just between Shadow and Rouge.

"Omega are you crazy!?" Rouge exclaimed in shock.

Omega didn't stop. He began to charge a laser cannon on his chest as three SWATbots rounded a column and fired their weapons. Missiles soared toward Omega when the good robot pressed a button on his forearm and the missiles swirled around him. Omega pointed and the missiles rotated and sailed for their original masters. The SWATbots all disintegrated into scrap. Omega stepped forward and got into the line of fire of the tenth and last bot. The SWATbot jumped and slammed into Omega. The red machine however, to was too hefty to succumb to a mere tackle. Omega glared at the bot and sent out an electric current through his chases. The SWATbot overloaded and went into power safe mode. Omega turned toward an unimpressed Shadow and a precocious Rouge.

"To answer your question: yes." Omega put away his arsenal and returned to normal position. "I wish to kill again."

"Is that why your laser cannon's still charging?" asked Shadow

"Robotnik's machines run in numbers, I'm just staying prepared. In the meantime, Vector and myself can extract its mission objective from these low-grade toaster ovens."

"I guess we should give the all clear then." Rouge began to fly up. She reached a point where she could see them and waved. In no time the Chaotix rushed the small base and took a look around. The base was pretty much a square with bluish purple tiles laid down around a perfectly cut hole of darkness. In the near corners were columns with servers and computers inside them where the SWATbots were working from. Now that Team Dark and Chaotix had taken over they could get to the bottom of things.

"A small operation here." Espio examined.

"Real small." Knuckles added.

"That's what she said." Rouge nudged the King.

"What were they doing here Omega, do you know yet?" Charmy zipped to the robot. "What kind of job were they pulling for the fat man?"

"Keep your Cheerios in a bowl kid!" Vector assisted the big red machine, "We're almost done."

"I don't like this." Mighty stated.

"Well you're not about to like the next thing I'm gonna say." Knuckles butted his fists together. "The SWATbots were guarding the epicenter for a reason so I'm leading a strong team into the sinkhole to find out some raw physical evidence. Mighty, Rouge, and Shadow you're with me. Charmy and Espio keep guard over Omega and Vector make sure they strip that bucket of bolts for all it's worth."

Knuckles summoned his flame abilities and held a small blaze in his palm.

"Let's go." Knuckles jumped into the hole with the three after him.

"I hope they're going to be okay." Charmy clasped his hands.

"We won't worry about them Charmy." Espio calmed him. "Our focus is maintaining a perimeter."

"Right." Charmy happily obliged.

_|_|_|_ Meanwhile back in Megaopolis _|_|_|_

Bunnie launches a rocket from her forearm and burst out a section of metal walls. The Freedom Fighters storm inside and were met with immediate gunfire. SWATbots had occupied the room surrounding a huge hole in the floor. The Freedom Fighters got to barricades as Sonic rushed in last with a flurry of wind behind him. Sonic cruised right for the first SWATbot and stopped letting the wind behind him tear up everything unbolted to the floor. The hedgehog returned back to his teammates and retreated into the darkened areas of the long warehouses. Sonic looked back and saw more SWATbots pouring out the giant hole in the floor.

"Okay this is good." Sally stopped her team. She tapped on her Lynx device and swiped a few times.

"Anybody else check out the big hole in the floor back there?"

"Sure did Sugah-hog." Bunnie nodded. "It's bigger than the mud holes my daddy used to stomp in my ex-boyfriends."

"Nicole mentioned the tunnels." Sally concluded. "Just enough cover to hide a devious plot. Sonic don't you get it!"

"Get what?"

"The underground tunnels, the diversion in Knothole, even the earthquakes!" Sally was overjoyed to have figured it out but then she stopped finally realizing the horror of the situation. "Sonic this is bad."

Alarms blared throughout the hangar. The Freedom Fighters held their ears from the ringing as SWATbots shuffled into each corner of the warehouse.

"They're closing in." Sonic looked around. "I'll create a distraction and you guys get out of here."

"Sonic no!" Sally screamed.

Sonic looked back, completely puzzled. "Get outta here!"

"Sonic please be careful." Sally pleaded. The hedgehog paused, taking note of her condition, and nodded. He jetted off straight down the middle headed towards the rear of the warehouse.

"Hey tin cans!" Sonic taunted. "Betcha can't-"

An explosion rocked the back wall of the facility sending boys and supplies everywhere. Sonic withstood the forced entry and caught a glimpse of what lay ahead.

A giant Egg Pawn robot.

Sonic swallowed his fear immediately and crouched into a stance. These things were built to take multiple hits and with the SWATbots around it would be a tough fight. He looked back and saw his friends had retreated, then he recalled Sally's urges. The Egg Pawn stepped into the cabinet and bared his left arm which was a cannon. It rotated and locked into place as Sonic ran toward the robot. SWATbots started to fire their minuscule laser rifles when the big bot fired its cannon. Sonic nearly ran into the blast but stopped short which actually made it worse. The shot fired wasn't an energy blast but a sticky shell. Upon impact, the casing exploded and out came a gum-like substance and Sonic struggled in the greenish-brown goo.

"Eh! Eh! Mega muck! Eh!" Sonic shifted amid glue. The laser fired stopped now the Giant Egg Pawn walking toward the hero. EggRobo sailed in sitting comfortable in the Egg Mobile holding his signature Plasma Cannon.

"Say Goodnight Hedgehog!" EggRobo set out to aim his deadly weapon.

"Goodnight Hedgehog." Sonic smirked. EggRobo fired and the gum received the discharged and immediately burst into an explosive. The sticky substance was plastique and when ignited it caused a flash of instant death. Robotnik was a master at making the most treacherous things. EggRobo withdrew his weapon and set his scanners.

"No life forms detected." EggRobo nodded. "Mission accomplished."

Sonic reentered from Chaos Control and slammed into the Egg Mobile. The vehicle swirled out of control and smashed into the Giant Egg Pawn. Sonic landed and vanished again before the SWATbots could land a volley. Sonic emerged again while laughing.

"See ya scrambled Eggbot!" Sonic darted off as the Giant Egg Pawn kept firing plastique shells. Sonic dodged each shell now as they went sailing all haywire down the large warehouse. Sonic turned his speed up and managed to get to the central cabinet where the other Freedom Fighters had approached their point of entry. Sonic stopped and saw the escaped had been blocked.

"Sonic what is this?" Amy asked.

"Mega muck!" he answered. "We gotta find another way out."

More plastique shells fired swiftly heading towards the team.

"Down here." Sally jumped into the hole.

"Sally!" Mina exclaimed.

"No time!" Cream shoved her in. The rest followed quickly as three gum balls slammed into the mouth of the hole and covered a good portion. The Freedom Fighters fell deep into the hole while Cream easily grasped them with a Control and eased them down slowly. The next part of the escape would be tricky. Either going back and dealing with the cannons of the Giant Pawn or discovering what lies ahead in the tunnels before them.

EggRobo hovered over the gummed holed and looked to his giant Egg Pawn.

"Remain here in case they get any bright ideas. I've got the second half of this incursion to start."

The general took flight and headed toward the giant hole in the wall they had come through.

_|_|_|_ The King leads his team through their excavation _|_|_|_

There was a single rail heading the middle of the tunnel.

It was mounted securely with electricity surging through it. The team stayed cautioned against it as they progressed only being guided by Knuckles flame. They could hear the clanks of tools and faint smell of gas. There were definitely SWATbots down here and by the sound, it was plenty to be dealt with.

"Put out your flame." Rouge directed.

"Out of the question." Knuckles nearly yelled.

"Knuckles I'm serious." Rouge held his arm. "I'm going to use echolocation to try and get a better look."

Knuckles didn't like to be usurped but in light of the situation, reconnaissance would be a better option. Knuckles killed his flame as Rouge closed her eyes. She let out another scream and waited for the echo. Rouge opened her eyes with sudden shock.

"Out of the way!" she yelled. She pushed Knuckles back against the wall as Shadow and Mighty mimicked. Almost immediately a silent train slid down the tunnel past them.

"Good save." Shadow peeled himself from the wall.

"Don't thank me yet. We gotta follow that thing!" Rouge exclaimed.

"On it." Shadow darted after the train.

"Mighty assist him." Knuckles commanded. "Rouge we're staying down here, we need to know what's going on."

"I'm afraid if we stay down here your highness, we'll be fighting for our lives." Rouge shook her head. "SWATbots are marching toward this position."

Knuckles took a second to think. "Form a crystal wall, we're going to charge."

Rouge acted swiftly, formed a translucent blockade of crystal, and held her hands out to hold it before them. Knuckles opened his palms and raging fireballs swirled within. The two nodded and ran down the shaft with the flames lighting the way. In no time, they felt the first few hits of SWATbots smash against the shield. Any surviving bots got melted to oblivion from Knuckles flames. The two went through about two waves of machines before coming into a wide area. The ceilings weren't too much taller than the tunnel way they came from but the room was massive. The brick underneath their feet was part of Hydrocity Zone.

Knuckles knew exactly where he was.

SWATbots mounted heavy assault with laser rifles as Rouge defended them with her impenetrable crystal. Knuckles let fire shoot from over top of the crystal and completely scorch the incoming machines. Soon the room was illuminated with enough fire to give the room detail. Smoke started to build across the ceiling when Knuckles stopped dead in his assault.

"Keep going!" Rouge nudged him.

Knuckles gave Rouge a worried look. "We need to get over there!"

"You got it handsome." Rouge threw the shield as it flung into a whole wave of SWATbots. She pushed her hands into the new direction as a whole wall of crystal slid across the aisle. The two dashed feeling the pressure of lasers crack against the thin crystal. Rouge could only guess what they were heading toward but Knuckles had his assumptions. Hopefully, it wouldn't be too late.

_|_|_|_ The Freedom Fighters traverse a tunnel of their own _|_|_|_

Cream successfully guided them to the bottom of what seemed like an eternal fall. Of course, dealing with the unknown here rather than the massive robot on the surface would be a better option in hindsight. The area was pitch black and neither of them could make out anything. Sally held her Lynx high as a beacon for them to gather.

"I'm getting a map together with this cartography app. In a few minutes we'll have a path and radar."

"Hate to be the ox that can't take a yoke but we may not have a few minutes." Bunnie stated.

"Bunnie's right." Sonic agreed. "How about we run ahead and scope out what we're getting into."

Sally's face already went into a negative answer while Sonic explained.

"Yeah and I can increase my lighting on my body to give ol' Sugah-hog the illumination he so desperately needs."

"I am not liking this at all." Antoine shook his head. "Your brightness will be making you a direct target."

"It's a risk their going to have to take." Amy folded her arms. "Besides we'll be right behind them the whole way."

"It's the best thing we got toots." Cream nodded.

"I want to go to." Mina added. "Bunnie may not be fast enough to get from any danger coming."

"See everything's working out." Sonic smirked.

"Don't take this as a big thrill ride Sonic Hedgehog. There are people here who really care about your safety." Sally exclaimed.

Sonic rubbed the underside of his nose. "I know... Let's go ladies."

Bunnie converted weapons power into illumination, which shined from the green strips of light on her thighs, shins, and her only robotic forearm. She blasted into the air as Sonic and Mina traveled under her. They traveled a reasonable speed and got to see a pinnacle of light at the end. The tunnel wasn't extremely long after all. The three got to the point of light and slowed down a bit. They approached the edge and peered over and nearly let their jaws hit the floor. Mina quickly examined the room and stored her awe for later.

"What is this place?" she asked.

"Th-th-this is worse than a polecat eating curry." Bunnie barely audible through quivers. Sonic stood up, finally realizing what had Sally shaken the past few minutes. The resurgence from the past was a crude and terrible reminder of something that could endanger the entire planet. Sonic blasted off back down the tunnel getting the others to rejoin the party. Bunnie turned to Mina ready to explain the situation.

"When we first started fighting against Doctor Robotnik so long ago we were threatened with some deadly weapons. The Roboticizer is tip of the old iceberg compared to what we got here."

"Tip of the iceberg? What does this mean then?"

Sonic held Sally in his arms with Amy running right behind holding Antoine and Cream holding up the rear.

"I never thought we would see these things again." Sally sounded like she was about to hyperventilate.

"Tell me about it." Sonic stated, sounding solid and serious. "I need Shadow to give me back the emerald I lent him. Can you contact Team Dark?"

"I don't think so." Sally shook her head. "But in the meantime we have to form a plan. Project: Doomsday is not to be taken lightly."

The Freedom Fighters peer over the edge to see the ominous and terrible machine known as Project: Doomsday lingering in a massive underground bunker. The deadly devices of the dastardly dictator were resurfacing all over again. The efficiency and the cutthroat tactics of Robotnik just made this invasive mission into a mission to save the world.

Knuckles and Rouge made it to the far side of their bunker only to discover a smaller version of Project: Doomsday. Hidden in the trenches of Angel Island, Robotnik planned to undermine everyone on the planet with this fatal machine. Knuckles blazed with rage and fire. There were no earthquakes; the seismic activity was false, the only vibrations they felt were from the rumbles of this massive death-dealing device. Robotnik planned to throw Mobius into a full scale Reckoning in the click of a button. This was truly the wrath of someone rotten to the very core.

Mobius is in danger.


	44. Doomsday

The Freedom Fighters looked in the massive junction underground.

The Doomsday Device sat starkly in the middle of the area with jagged lines jutting every way possible. These were the start to many tunnels spreading across the world. The Doomsday Device in the past was sent to destroy all life form through massive waves of energy from individual pods. The pods were launched from each tunnels and sent to do massive damage to any area it sprouted from. With scars from the past showing up like Metal Sonic or The Death Egg, a trip down memory lane wouldn't be complete without the Doomsday Device. The Freedom Fighters stood in shock all in a service tunnel from Megaopolis.

"Robotnik planned this along." Sonic summarized. "His return, the Death Egg, roboticizing Station Square, all the way up until now!"

"The storage warehouse we left was a holding facility for the pods which is why we didn't find anything." Amy added.

"Nicole," Sally spoke to her Lynx. "Bring up all archive files on Project: Doomsday."

"I don't think this was all planned, Sonic." Cream indulged.

"How is that being?" Antoine obliged.

"We stopped Robotnik." Cream slammed her hands together. "This is just a series of Plans A, B and C."

Sonic smiled a little bit. "She's right. Robotnik may be diabolical but he can't see the future. I'm one of the reasons why. If we stop him here we can ultimately stop him for good."

Sally gathered everyone's attention. "Here is an exterior look of the old Project: Doomsday... and now compare it to the one in present day."

The Freedom Fighters looked at both images and noticed no differences. The tower of sensors and scanners looked just as malignant as ever with huge exhaust pipes jutting from the lower section and laser lights combing the roof above. The machine was all black with silver designs running along middle and upper panels.

"Hey what's that?" asked Mina. She pointed to the lower left side where a small attached department was. Sally confirmed it with her miniature Nicole.

"Nothing from the archives but Nicole is scanning the new one now." Sally informed.

"From what I remember we had to use the Deep Power Stones to get rid of this thing." Sonic stated. "Ixis Naugus made sure we could never use them again though."

"What about the Chaos Emeralds?" asked Antoine. "I am thinking we could use them."

"Shadow has the seventh one, Sugah-Twan." Bunnie reminded. "And those things are as good as box of rocks without all of 'em."

"Bunnie's right." Sally paused. "We need a new plan."

_|_|_|_ Vector helps Omega decode SWATbot mission details _|_|_|_

"This is taking forever." Vector still tapped onto his device. His year-old technology was no match for Sally's Lynx but it would eventually do the job. Omega however was just about wrapped up ready to connect to his systems. Charmy searched the skies while Espio encircled the base looking through the rock slabs and hills for danger. It was safe here, now that the squads of SWATbots had been put out of commission. Espio just about grew tired when Vector called them over.

"Were you successful?" asked Espio.

"Does Omega love to shed blood?" the red machine asked. "I'm patching it through now."

A round glass orb lit up on Omega's chest and launched holographic images before the surrounding members. The image was of EggRobo delegating a message to his troops.

"Let those miscreants into the tunnel," he started, "put up a fight but make sure they all survive. Before shutting down completely make sure you send your priority message to the platoons below. Assistance will arrive shortly. Project: Doomsday's distribution is our top priority here. I will convene with you later to provide support. EggRobo over and out."

The transmission ceased.

"What the heck is a Project: Doomsday?" Charmy asked.

The team shrugged.

"We have company." Omega turned around releasing the locks on his artillery.

"No we don't." Espio countered.

Omega approached the hole. "Ready a full on assault."

Nothing was happening.

The area was completely quiet and sound of birds overhead was quite soothing.

"I think he's got his wires crossed with the SWATbots." Vector sighed.

"Well hurry up and uncross 'em!" Charmy squealed. "We can't go on with a failed bot."

Out of the hole launched a massive machine curled in a ball. It soared high into the air and when it reached its peak it started to unfurl. The others looked on with surprise as Omega took aim. The giant machine landed with its four legs spread over the hole. The legs were spider like leading up to its body, which was shaped like a trapezoid with two huge tentacles protruding from it. It had four cameras used to watch each team member below. On the sides were two arms with huge circular saws whining to life. It was colored in mostly black with gray and red to highlight.

Unbeknownst to the Chaotix and Omega this was a Shredder machine designed to rip apart terrain and convert it into energy. The fact that it had returned to the battlefield amid this Project: Doomsday showed that Robotnik was digging deep.

Omega wasted no time and fired several volleys disrupting machines balance. Between the four, Omega had the most firepower and rightfully so, he was using it.

"Charmy lead it away from here!" Espio directed. "Vector see if you can shut it down."

"Right." the two quickly agreed.

Charmy took off and zipped by the shredder head. It turned and whipped the first tentacle and nearly hit the swift bee. The end of the tentacle slammed on the ground with Charmy flying away. The edge of his stinger was razor sharp and with precision timing of his Chaos Energy he could slice through almost anything. Charmy got out of there as Espio grabbed the severed tentacle.

"I'm gonna trip it up." Espio exclaimed.

"Roger." Omega stated. "I'll focus attack on the right side.

Mighty and Shadow soar out of the hole and immediately into the battle. The Shredder slashed a saw right for the airborne duo.

Shadow started to teleport. "Chaos-"

Mighty donned steel gloves from his Chaos Energy and reached for the saw. He made contact with the saw and stopped it with a tight grasp. He lifted up and snapped the blade and it's supports from the machines outstretched arm. Mighty began his fall and curled into a ball to slam into the ground below. Shadow lithely fell next to him and noticed the small indentation he left. Mighty was his namesake, having the strength of ten men in single pinky.

"Looks like my King was right." Mighty stated.

"Boy am I glad to see you guys." Vector said from behind them.

"We'll get the return parade after we've dealt with this thing." Shadow rushed the Shredder. He zipped past a wiry tentacle and dodged a stomp when the second shredder blade approached.

"Mighty!" Shadow called. The heavy armadillo ran after the black hedgehog. "Chaos Spear."

Lime green energy came to life in Shadow's hand and launched in the form of a blade and cleanly cut the arm in mid-jab. The spinning blade of death was headed toward the hedgehog when he disappeared in a Chaos Control. Mighty saw the blade and arm headed toward him when he caught the safe end and spun around. He released the still spinning saw and watched it sail toward the beastly machine. The Shredder's rear right leg was hacked off and it immediately tumbled to the ground.

Shadow reappeared on top of Omega as Espio ran alongside him.

"Do you have grenades?" asked the chameleon.

"Always." Omega responded. He opened up a compartment at his waist where six grenades were hanging like soda cans in a six-pack.

"Quickly!" Espio demanded. Omega handed him the whole pack of grenades and Espio vanished.

"He is gone." Shadow stated.

"To the naked eye." Omega explained changing visors. "His blending abilities are only seen in thermal perspective."

Espio placed the grenades on the writhing body of the Shredder as it attempted to get up on three legs. Espio was running out of time and after each grenade was placed it would lose its state of invisibility. Espio managed to place the fifth one on its head before it sprang back to an upright position. The Shredder started combing the area with a wide sweeping energy beam.

"Take cover!" yelled Charmy. The team started to run as the grass and trees in their wake started to die.

"That thing takes life force! Stay out of range!" Espio appeared next to his mates. The six of them took cover behind a huge stone slab as the Shredder started to slowly approach on its three legs.

"What happened to the grenades?" asked Mighty.

"They should blow any second." Espio spat.

"My grenades need initial contact from being thrown to activate. If you wanted timed explosives you should have asked for detonators." Omega summed up.

"Way to go." Charmy gave a thumbs up.

"Well I've got one last one then." Espio held it up.

"Let me see that!" Vector reach for the explosive. "I wasn't able to shut it down remotely but I may be able to signal the other grenades."

He pulled the casing from the grenade and started tinkering with the innards. "I'm going to need some time."

"In case you haven't noticed we haven't much time for anything." Shadow digressed.

"I'll hold it off." Omega stood up and without question leaps over the slab guns blazing.

"Omega no!" Charmy yelled in his sweet voice. "Dude I didn't mean that comment; it was sarcasm!"

"Charmy get down." Espio grabbed him down.

Shadow calmed him. "He's buying us time. Besides, he's a tough machine he can handle it."

Omega fired off missiles that slammed into the defending tentacles. The explosion created smoke as the rubber casing of the one-and-a-half tentacles fell to the ground. The energy weapon centered on Omega and concentrated its wide array on the robot.

"I'm almost done." Vector said while discarding the casing of the grenade and switching to his device. "Just a little more."

"Hurry!" Shadow demanded. "Omega may be metal but even that comes from Mobius."

The robot's paint started to peel as rust corroded his chassis. The glass dome on his chest cracked and his joints started to creak.

"I will not go down without a fight." Omega exclaimed charging his energy cannon. The energy beam rained over Omega with its faint red and green light. Omega blasted his energy cannon and knocked the Shredder back a few feet. Still it held its beam over the robot and approached yet again. Omega held his chest in pain, the energy cannon had backfired.

"Got it!" Vector said pressing a trigger on his device. The Shredder paused and shifted for a second as if reading the signal for itself. An explosion rocked the left side and then traveled around to the right successfully destroying the destructive robot in seconds.

Shrapnel and debris were sent everywhere with flames dancing across the deadened grass below. The heroes waited until no more crashes of parts hit the ground when they jumped over the slab to see Omega on his back.

"Omega!" Shadow yelled. He rushed the black grass and the rusted robot to fall to his knees beside him. "Omega!"

The Chaotix stood distantly having a silent moment.

"No..." Shadow tightened his fist. "No!"

Omega was rusted all the way through. Shrapnel had pierced core systems and his processor had a huge gash in it. E-123 Omega, the traitorous robot to the Robotnik Regime, had fallen in battle. Shadow knelt beside the robot having to come to love this machine as a dear friend. He stood by Shadow no matter what and without Station Square or a generous Robotnik, no one would be able to repair him. His friend was truly gone.

"We've got a problem." Knuckles stated with Rouge right behind him. They had emerged from the hole in the nick of time.

"You bet we do." Vector said lowly.

Espio pointed to the sky. "Incoming."

The sky was littered with Egg Pawns wearing wings and jet packs and holding blasters in their arms. Leading the many waves was the one who dispatched the message - EggRobo.

"Where's Omega?" asked Rouge.

Shadow stood up with his eyes closed. His black spines started to grow even darker with the red hashes disappearing amid his pooling fur.

"Shadow?" Rouge quivered.

"Omega died because of this madness." Shadow stated. "I'm going to get what is owed to me. My revenge will be the Reckoning!"

Shadow turned behind him as EggRobo and the pawns landed amid the field.

EggRobo started. "Team Chaotix and a section of the Freedom Fighters... kill them all. Leave no survivors."

The pure black hedgehog stepped forward as a bright red aura surrounded him.

EggRobo turned to his front line, which were twelve pawns in black holding special gear. "Shell squad you're with me."

EggRobo lead his pawns away and into the hole leaving Team Chaotix and the others in complete turmoil.

"Shadow!" Rouge screamed.

The hedgehog paused. "I'm no longer a shadow amid this tarnished world. I am simply the product of the darkest mist. I am Night."

Dark Shadow, or Night, approached the armada while Knuckles directed his team for shelter. Night was going to tear this place apart and Rouge could only watch as he pulled his inhibitor rings of his wrists.

_|_|_|_ The Freedom Fighters hatch their plan on Project: Doomsday _|_|_|_

Bunnie and Antoine had stealthily made it to the interior workings of Project: Doomsday while Amy, Mina and Cream headed to the tunnel way. Sonic and Sally headed to the bridge with the plan in mind.

Bunnie looks left as Antoine looks right. The coast was clear but they had to move fast. Their goal was to get to the power source and deliver their part of the mission by any means necessary. They skewered the halls with quickness before coming to a service station. They access the screen and figure out the schematics once again.

"I told you we shoulda went left back there." Bunnie nudged her husband.

"It is being okay my sweet." Antoine reassured her. "We are having the option to roundabout in a few corridors."

Antoine led her down a few more doors and into a storage facility. They traverse the room passing huge containers and barrels and head for the easy access of the air ducts.

"Robotnik must've wised up." Bunnie surmised. The air ducts were only five inches thin with small registers letting air out.

"We are still not being in our target zone." Antoine eased his wife aside. "I'm going to be making a shortcut."

Antoine closed his eyes and rested his hands on the scabbard and hilt of his sword. Bunnie took another step back as the coyote concentrated. Antoine flashed his eyes open and swiftly slashed across and through the wall. In a matter of seconds, Bunnie viewed Antoine putting his sword away.

"We are through, for the moment my sweet." Antoine bowed and held out a hand.

Bunnie smiled and walked toward the square he cut. "If we wasn't in complete danger right now Sugah-Twan I'd be all over you."

Antoine smiled and relaxed a bit. Deep inside he was scared to the bone but as an older coyote, he knew how to turn his fear into his strength. He also relied on Bunnie's hard-shell personality to ease him through. The rabbot launched a magnet cable from her wrist and started to gently pull the cube Antoine had cut. The slab was about a foot thick but was cleanly cut. Bunnie eased the section of wall down to the floor and to the side. They could see below the huge room where the generators were kept to power this behemoth of a machine. Luckily, the cover of the shadowed ceiling gave them a hiding spot to scope out the room.

There were six generators all covered by extremely thick glass with electricity swirling through it. Two SWATbots guarding each generator and service bots monitoring the output on the computers to the right.

"I've got about eight missiles." Bunnie stated.

"Then you should be taking out the generators leaving the service bots to me."Antoine explained. "They are being the ones to call for backup. From there we will be making our escape."

"I guess all we can do is wait 'til they give the signal for now." Bunnie hunched down.

"Then waiting is what we shall be doing then."

Antoine held a hand on his sword as Bunnie began targeting the generators below. Meanwhile the girls infiltrate the terminals below where the Doomsday Pods were being shipped out. The place was a massive junction of tunnels where new pods, shipped from the storehouse above ground, were sent here via rail. The service bots and Robians would then activate them and direct them to a tunnel across Mobius to gather fossil fuels, collect life force energy, or even roboticize. Project: Doomsday was Robotnik's one-stop shop for everything evil. If successful it would turn Mobius into a Death Egg but the Freedom Fighters weren't going to allow anything like that to happen.

Amy smashed a nearby SWATbot with her Piko Hammer as Mina sped through a multitude of bots. Cream crunched them all up into little wads as they ran through the platforms heading toward the Central Column. On the underside of the Project: Doomsday were a series of towering arches from which the pods enter and be redirected to their task. In the middle of the archways was the Central Column were traffic control would give orders.

A squad of SWATbots jumped out firing lasers as Mina sped to the next closest platform.

"This way!" she called. Amy swatted a laser back and destroyed its user. Cream created a bubble of Control to shield their rear from any fire. The trio had leapt across the snaking platforms dodging incoming fire with precision. Their mission was the one with the most flash but also the one with the most importance.

The three had made it to the Central Column when the service bots inside called for lockdown and sealed the entry points with blast doors.

"I thought we were gonna make it!" Mina punched the doors.

"We still are." Amy approached the doors.

"I'll keep the heat off as long as can just get those doors open!" Cream held up her hands using Control in heavy doses as SWATbots neared with heavy gunfire.

Mina was clueless; they were stuck between a rock and a hard place and not intending to move. Mina watched the machines struggle to break through Cream's hard defense but then turned to Amy who had clasped her hands. She flipped out her hands and cracked her knuckles.

"Rose's Thorn!" she yelled crouching into a stance. Her body glowed for a tiny millisecond when she slammed into the door. The blast door caved quickly as Amy reached for the jutting bottom and lifted it like a hatch.

"Get in!" Amy instructed. Mina broke her stare of awe as Cream backed into the door still holding her hands out. Amy blinked again and grabbed the doors bottom, brought it back down, and punching in the dent she made from the outside.. They were safe among the Central Column as Cream released her Control with a sigh.

"Get some rest Cream." Amy patted her on the shoulder. "Mina and I will take out the bots trying to get the doors back open."

The two blasted off upstairs as Cream sat still on the floor. The hedgehog and the mongoose invaded the huge round area where service bots had their four tentacle-like arms plugged into the main system. Before they could make a move, Amy and Mina dashed along the room smashing them apart. No intruder alarm and by the sound of things the blast doors hadn't opened. Cream was safe below and they could begin their mission up here.

"We made it?" Mina clasped her hands together.

"We made it!" Amy sighed. "There should be a master service computer around here."

Mina rubbed her shoulder. "I didn't know you had an EIA."

Amy gave her an odd look. "Really?" she asked.

Mina nodded.

"I guess I never really talk about it or use much now that I think about it. Yeah I was one of the chosen... Oh here's the master computer!"

Amy pulled down the hatch on the wall and watched the keyboard and screen come to life. Both monitor and keyboard were touch sensitive with white light brightening the screen. Cream emerged from the stairwell and nodded to her mates.

"Hey get this!" Amy smirked, typing away on the computer, "Pop Star Mina didn't know I was part of the EIA."

"Seriously." Cream folded her arms. "Me, Amy, Tails, Sonic, Knuckles, Shadow and Rouge are the only guys who have powers. It was actually all thanks to Tails; he managed to find a way to get us prepared to defend Knothole when Sonic wasn't able to."

"But what about Antoine and Bunnie and Rotor even Sally. They're veterans!" Mina stated. "I would think they would have gotten it before you two, Shadow, and Rouge."

"We thought the same thing." Amy turned to face the mongoose. "But they didn't have any Chaos Energy Signature and wouldn't mesh up with the wavelengths of the emeralds properly."

"Knothole needed anybody for the battle and we took them in, but ultimately Shadow betrayed us when he got what he wanted." Cream sighed. "Things after that got worse. Robotropolis expanded and we were forced from our home. But things turned around with New Mobo, Sonic awakened, and Geoffrey St. John outta there."

Amy continued her work on the master computer. "Knothole made a turn for the better when Sonic woke up despite what Tails thought."

Mina rubbed her shoulder yet again; a sign of her worry. "I wish Tails didn't betray us..."

"Same here." Cream huffed. "I think he's just a little misguided even though King Elias rendered him a traitor. I wish I could talk to him again."

"I almost went with him." Amy paused.

Cream and Mina glared at the pink hedgehog. "Are you serious?"

"He and I were mad at the same people. But myself for different reasons. I still loved Sonic, still do but I couldn't do anything to the people I cared the most for."

"You learn something new every day." Cream smirked.

"Got that right." Mina agreed.

The blast doors ruptured with an explosion. The vibrations rocked the column as the girls looked to each other.

"The SWATbots are getting anxious." Mina cautioned.

"No worries." Amy smiled. "We're just waiting for the signal."

"Sonic and Sally better hurry up then." Cream peered out the window to see a myriad of SWATbots pooling around Central Column.

The SWATbots were gathering everything explosive trying to eliminate the blast doors. The terminal was under siege, the interior ready to be assaulted and the bridge being infiltrated. Sonic and Sally cruised down the hall and hid in a doorway. SWATbots ran past ready to head toward the terminal to defend the Central Column. Sally threw a thumbs-up to Sonic and the two proceeded down the halls. The bridge was in the uppermost part of Project: Doomsday where master controls were stationed.

The doors slid open as the hedgehog blew a Sonic Wind blasting apart every service bot in the vicinity. Sally ran in next heading to a computer terminal. She plugged in Nicole as Sonic looked out the windows.

"Nicole seal the room." Sally commanded.

The doors slammed closed.

"Step one complete." Sonic rubbed the underside of his nose.

"Right." Sally nodded. She unplugged the Lynx from the terminal and headed toward the master computer just before the window. Now they could relax among the protection of the impenetrable bridge.

"You sure know how to draw up a plan Sal."

"It's a gift." she smirked.

"What's the next step?"

"The next step is to alert our people to go on the offensive."

She plugged Nicole as Sonic sat on the board growing impatient with each seconds passing.

"Nicole, I need an expert hack right now. Randomize the security codes and the master key. Set up the voice modulation application. We're going to issue an alert Robotropolis has never seen in history."

Sally sat back and relaxed for bit.

"Would you like some tea or maybe a hot towel?" Sonic asked.

"Both sound amazing right now." Sally touched his face.

"Remember the last time we took this thing out."

"How could I forget? We were one! And we prevailed, knowing the weight of the world was on our shoulders."

"And I thought I was glory hog."

"Well that makes two of us."

"Funny."

"Thanks."

"Well we'll be saving the world yet again."

"You sound like you're tired of it."

Sonic smiled. "C'mon baby, look who you're talking to! I'm the rude crude mean streak of blue, destined to do this dance for all eternity."

Sally looked down. "I was actually hoping you were going to say yes."

Sonic was the one pausing now.

Sally continued. "I mean you have a family now, you have me, we have a wedding to plan, we have a city to rebuild, we have a future together in Knothole."

Sonic smiled. "You actually make a lot of sense, for once."

Sally rolled her eyes but still smiled.

"Sonic the Hedgehog in the sweet life." he raised his head.

"You make it sound like a fairy tale." Sally scoffed. The Lynx blinked with a notification and Sally sprang forward.

"Alright." she started.

Sonic slid next to her ready to watch his fiancé go to work. She imputed the key codes and the all-important master key. The keyboards all over the bridge turned red as the glow made the room ominous. Sally still went on - hiding her nerves very well amid the situation.

"Issue a Defcon 5." Sally said sounding like the maniacal monster Doctor Robotnik.

Blue Lights filled the bridge and the halls of Project: Doomsday. Every hall was colored blue with many bots pausing from the sight. The interior corridors of the Doomsday were in a state of stillness and the terminal below was in complete stupor. The explosions outside of Central Column had ceased and the general clatter of SWATbots had grown to an eerie silence.

"Now!" Amy pressed the enter key.

Cream pushed out her hands and burst the glass of the room. The three leapt out the window and fell towards the platforms, rails, and thousands of SWATbots below. They dropped onto the bots and started heading the way they came from.

Bunnie fired her missiles and eliminated the SWATbots guarding the generators. Antoine quickly dispatched of the service bots manning the computers. The machines were down and the protective glass of the generators had broken releasing lightning in the immediate area. The electricity surged to each generator on its side as Bunnie and Antoine nodded to each other.

"Time to get a move on!" Bunnie exclaimed.

"I am agreeing." Antoine nodded.

Sally saw an order come up on the screen which needed the approval of master command.

"There's the order for the recalling of the Doomsday Pods." Sally deviously smiled. "Tag them with a priority one stamp, issue a chamber flood in ten minutes and a self destruct in twenty minutes."

"Whoa whoa time out! What just happened?" Sonic asked.

"Sonic! We just recalled the pods. In a matter of moments the pods will come back here via tunnels. While that's happening, water from the spillway will fill up this entire chamber. It's why we exposed the generators so that their lightning will destroy anything in the water. And a self destruct just to put it to that lardo one last time!"

Sonic smiled deviously. "Past cool."

The two slapped hands just before Sally returned to the controls. "All we have to do now is unblock the doors and since the SWATbots are in Defcon 5 we can relax and wait for the others to get here."

Sonic was thoroughly impressed with this woman. Having the skill, the knowledge to completely down this Project: Doomsday in a matter minutes was astounding to him. He couldn't help but express his joy to her in the form of a kiss. The two shared in a passionate lip lock for a spell.

"Ahem!" Antoine coughed.

Sonic and Sally broke apart as Bunnie and Antoine nudged each other.

"Thank you." Antoine stepped forward. "Another second and I will be losing my lunch all over the floor."

"Good to see you guys made it back in one piece." Sally sprang up.

"I am too." Bunnie posted her hands on her hips. "But how are we all gonna get outta here?"

"There's an elevator in the back of the bridge which leads up to the surface." Sally explained. "Once the girls get here we can all leave."

"It's good to know the plan went off without a hitch. I was more worried about this than Antoine was." Bunnie nudged him.

Three of the four laughed as the Royal Guard folded his arms. He pleaded he was no longer a coward like the good old days. These four shared a special bond, along with old Rotor, who were the foundation among the Freedom Fighters. Without their constant resolve, the cause would be lost asunder. With another destruction of Robotnik's creations looming in the balance, they await the next trial, which is the arrival of the girls.

"We made it." Amy stated. She led the girls in as the other stood to welcome them back.

"How did you guys do?" Sally asked.

"We're fine for now." Cream smiled. "But I guarantee when this is all over we'll rest."

"That sounds like the positive and uplifting Cream the Rabbit I know." Sonic patted her on the back.

"Let's just get outta here." Bunnie started walking toward the elevator.

Shutters covered the windows and the exits slammed shut. The interior lighting went from the sullen blue to ominous red.

"What's going on?" asked Sally.

Sonic sped toward all of the doors. "Sealed up tight!"

"What are we going to be doing?" asked Antoine.

Four posts in the corner of the rectangular room rose from their hidden spots and jutted antenna from the round heads. They thought something was going to fire from them but they never activated.

"The elevator!" Amy rushed it. "I can still hear it working."

Amy was right as they heard the trudge of the car amid the operation. They could hear the inner workings of the elevator shaft growing louder.

Sally gulped. "That's good and all but I didn't order the elevator to come down yet."

Something was coming down to greet them.

"I'll tear us a new one outta here!" Cream lifted her hands.

The elevator car protruded from the ceiling and gently touched the floor of the bridge. The operation stopped and gave a momentary pause in between mechanics. The red-lit doors shifted open revealing its passenger to the Freedom Fighters.

The portly dictator stood there in his red uniform and black overcoat. He wore a scowl at first glance but then turned to a smile upon viewing his guests. His hands were behind his back as he simply stood ominously in the lift. His demonic red eyes shot a laser gaze through each one of the fighters for freedom. He hated each one of them with such passion that he would do any and everything possible to wipe them from the face Mobius' ugly face. He exhaled letting loose his probably rank breath and poked out his chest.

"Good evening... Rodents..." Doctor Robotnik greeted them.


	45. Into the Abyss

Shadow is a hedgehog.

At one point, he was an enemy against Knothole and the Freedom Fighters. He wiggled and strived his way through Knotholes ranks in order to become a soldier of the EIA program. His Kinetic abilities mixed with his over abundant Chaos Energy makes him a formidable foe. He was powered by rage back then; slaving to hunt for his past and ultimately the Chaos Emeralds. His quest drove him to do sinister things even come into direct opposition of the hero of Knothole, Sonic the Hedgehog.

And maybe it was a good thing.

Eventually Sonic showed him the way, the path to inner peace, which he so desperately needed. Shadow was an amalgam of rawness whether in power or emotion. His friendship with Omega and even Nate Morgan showed he could have compassion for one another. It even surprised him when he decided to be in the right place and time for the King of Knothole, Elias Acorn. Waving all charges and crimes, Shadow willingly joined the Freedom Fighters looking for something else other than skeletons in the closet. He found that something in the form of bonds - unbroken and unwavering. Shadow was a mess, Shadow was a fiend, but he turned himself around and became something more.

And Omega, his truest bond, respected him for it but he was gone now.

Shadow's name detached from this world, letting anger, revenge, malice, hate and spite all into his mind and body. His potent supply of Chaotic Energy would manifest it into something even more detestable. The culmination of everything misaligned came to the fore, not as Shadow the Hedgehog, but a darker version - one capable of becoming the evil.

He was Night.

"Get down!" Knuckles demanded of his teammates. They were all hiding behind a collection of stone slabs amid the furious wind encircling the void on the battlefield. The Chaotix all complied but Rouge watched - focused on her friend's tangible fury.

"Shadow." she faintly stated.

Night faced the fleet of pawns holding blasters steady. They were not programmed to feel fear but only battle. The pawns were tougher soldiers than the badniks ever were and with EggRobo leading them the fight was sure to be difficult.

Night took a step and the volleys started.

Laser cannons, energy beams, rocket launchers, even the common bullet rained down over Night. Dust and debris quickly filled the air as the pawns continued firing into the dust. The firefight began to die down as their scanners couldn't place anything through the dust. The pawns eased up on their guns wondering if they'd pieced Shadow apart quite nicely.

Night set foot through the dust with his head cocked to the side. His eyes were gone with only glowing white corneas acting as beacons amid his pure black body. Night looked and the entire left flank erupted in lime green flames. A lieutenant Egg Pawn quickly summoned for reinforcements as the all the pawns started firing again. Night's body jerked from the hits of each artillery shell. The darkened state sapped the user from his speed but granted him equal ability to his strength and durability. Along with that, Shadow's Chaos and Kinetic abilities had grown considerably high enough to be on par with Super Shadow. The nature of his attacks had changed though, proving to be more sinister than ever.

Night had enough of taking bullets.

He flashed behind the armada before him and took a good twenty pawns in a flash of Kinetic power. Magenta and periwinkle lights sparked across the field as the pawns turned inward trying to spot the elusive Night.

"Shadow!" Rouge yelled.

"Rouge!" Knuckles called after her. "Get down!"

The bat anxiously watched trying to go through things in her mind.

The Chaotix were shielded by the stone wondering when the madness was going to stop. Knuckles yanked Rouge down to their level and held her tightly.

"Just stay down here." Knuckles commanded. "He'll calm himself down."

Night slammed his hand through a machine and spread his hand and watched the pawn disassemble. He summoned more than enough kinetic energy and sent the pieces everywhere. The closest pawns took the brunt of the damage while outer pawns continued firing. The Egg Pawns Lieutenant pointed twice signaling close range combat as Night continued ripping apart machines. The first pawn ran with a frontal assault and was quickly smashed with Chaos Reentry and a kick. The pawn was dented from head to waist and then used as a battering ram for the three behind it. Kinetic inertia powered the bot through several pawns before coming to a halt.

Night watched desirably as pawns deactivated among the battlefield. Night was slammed with an immeasurable punch from the pawn behind him. Night took the punch and applied a Shadow's Return to slam the pawn with its own kinetic energy. The pawn burst into dust from the hit. Night performed a Shadow Flash afterward sending orbital pulses of periwinkle and magenta light across the entire battlefield. Egg Pawns dropped like flies as Night stared at each of them with daunting eyes. Two huge craters had formed from his attack which looked like huge scoops had taken up the ground.

Rouge snatched her arm from Knuckles tight grasp. "Thing is Red, Shadow won't stop. He's much more than a hedgehog, he's a living weapon and it's my job to make sure he doesn't go haywire. Those Inhibitor Rings do much more than encase his power and I gotta get him contained."

"Rouge wait!"

"Stop hiding Knuckles," Rouge screamed. "You're making yourself look weak."

Knuckles stood up alongside the bat and tightened his fist. He hated when someone misjudged his strength. "I'm going with you."

"Then let's save my friend." Rouge leapt over the stone.

"You guys stay here." Knuckles commanded his team. He quickly leapt over the stone and ran toward the destruction Dark Shadow was causing.

Night spotted the fleet hovering in from the northwest. The reinforcements the lieutenant had called in were arriving and this hedgehog was not pleased. He tightened his fists and faced the flying robots heading toward his position. They started firing when they were in range as Night sat motionless among the rain of artillery. He started raising his hands slowly as the machines approached. It was a fleet comparable to the left flank he had taken out with a glance. They were landing and surrounding him quickly firing at all points even amid the debris. Night still held his arms midway up. He was starting to feel pain, not from outside but from within. There was a burning in each muscle and fiber of his body but he did not stop.

Night reached the height of his hand extension and brought his hands at his side while they glowed with lime, magenta, and periwinkle - kinetic force and chaotic energy combined. The mix was deadly and with Rouge and Knuckles on the battlefield things could go wrong at any moment. Night still proceeded, raising his hands to face each other. Pawns surrounded and expertly shot at the idle hedgehog, they had no clue what was about to happen to them. Night had finished his biding and slammed his hands into the ground.

The forest floor below started to glow white with streaks of magenta and periwinkle racing through. Rouge and Knuckles were close to their ally with the Inhibitor Rings bared in both of Rouge's hands. The white area underneath was still there signifying they were in the target zone. The Chaotix watched from afar wondering if they followed orders too closely. They might have gotten their King out of danger had they refused to listen. Night was ruthless, never ceasing attack no matter who or what got in the way. The white zone started to flourish with lime green flames and before they knew it it erupted into a sky high pillar of blazes.

Screams of the Chaotix were for naught as silence outplayed the horror of detailed sound. The area flashed bright green and the air rippled away from the blast zone. At one point this was the junction from an earthquake but now it was the epicenter for Shadow's heartache. Night had succeeded in the start of his revenge. The world wouldn't be ready for his siege.

Rouge simply stood there, though, panting from exhaustion. Knuckles right behind her in a similar position. Shadow stood before his friend, the bat, literally smoking from the use of dark powers. He looked at his wrists and couldn't help but smile.

"You... Saved... Me..." he stated. Barely audible among his visible pain. His hands were nearly touching the ground with the rings securely fastened over his wrists.

"Omega wasn't your only friend." she smiled. She held his head and directed him to look in her eyes. Shadow's eyes were burning red and there were rips and tears all over his body.

"It sucks..." Knuckles stood up. "But we still have more to do."

"Right." Rouge turned from Knuckles and gazed at her hedgehog friend again. She hugged him tightly even though he was hurting all over. The three were on a single mound that stretch down toward the hidden base where Project: Doomsday resided. The area surrounding was completely exposed at least a good half mile into surface. EggRobo and half of his pawns remained guarding Doomsday with guns drawn.

"Fall back!" the general stated. The pawns disappeared into Project: Doomsday while they heard shouts coming from behind them. The Chaotix approached the cliff from their side and stood in joy waiting to see their friends were alright on the other side. They waved heartily as Knuckles got up and turned towards them.

"Go get help!" Knuckles commanded. "The guards at the palace are gonna wanna hear about this!"

"Are you sure my King?" asked Espio.

"I can be over there in jiffy..." Charmy added.

Knuckles smiled. "I'm sure. Go tell Julie-Su I'm safe."

The Chaotix fanned out and began dodging through the woods to return home. Mighty stayed and looked on reverently. He respects Knuckles more than anyone on the planet. Severance from him meant living on another day for his friendship. Mighty eventually turned and followed his mates back to Echidnapolis. Knuckles sighed and turned back to the remaining members of Team Dark.

"Shadow..." Rouge comforted the hedgehog. "Omega is... Your friend."

"He's gone Rouge." Shadow looked her in the eyes.

Rouge talked slowly and calmly. "He's not. We have him here."

She pointed to Shadow's chest and ultimately his heart. She then pointed to hers and hugged him. She kept him at arm's length and soothingly comforted him some more.

"Omega wasn't the only one Shadow." Rouge started. "Have you forgotten about me?"

"You're just doing your job."

"And the Freedom Fighters?"

"Retribution."

"Sonic the Hedgehog."

Shadow paused.

"He made you see things differently and now look at you." Rouge released him and stepped back. "What kind of hedgehog are you? The kind that sees things as they are? Or the kind that looks past them?"

Shadow stayed idle for a few moments but then held up his head. His scars started mending and his eyes started returning to normal. He began to stand on his own and regain his balance.

"The kind... that sees the beauty... in the things worthwhile." Shadow stood proudly. Knuckles nodded in agreement and Rouge helped him up.

"I won't forget this." Shadow leaned on the two of them.

"Neither will we." Knuckles assured him. "We are united in the fight against Robotnik and through the trials we will be better friends and allies. But we aren't through the fire yet."

"Project: Doomsday." Rouge surmised.

Shadow struggled. "Then we... better get moving."

Shadow surprisingly leapt off the mound and fell towards the Doomsday area. Rouge went to restrain him but left it alone, she knew he was too stubborn to stay back and lick his wounds. Besides, they needed all the firepower they can get. Knuckles leapt off and glided with Rouge flying after them. The three-man squad landed on the brick flooring and rushed the miniature version of Project: Doomsday. This machine was for Angel Island, specifically forging tunnels and releasing pods to take out the continent. They headed toward the machine with weariness, wondering when EggRobo would launch his assault.

"How do we take this thing out?" asked Rouge.

This room is a Hydrocity Zone overflow spillway. In case of an emergency, Hydrocity Zone would fill these chambers up with all of its water in case of contamination."

"Or a deadly machine." Shadow tightened his fist.

"Flooding won't be enough." Rouge rubbed her chin. "If we expose the generators we could short circuit this thing. Knuckles and I will head to the bridge... no Shadow and I will head to the generator and..."

"I'll head to the generator." Shadow stated.

"But you're injured. You can't go alone."

"Don't be the one delegating my state. Let me handle that. Our cause is bigger than you and I." Shadow explained. "Knuckles knows the controls, you know how to manage the tech."

"You better come find us when you're done." Rouge poked her chest. "Let's get down and dirty Red. And afterwards we'll save your home."

Knuckles shrugged to Shadow and watched Rouge work. She closed her eyes and screamed hearing the echoes translate into a map.

"Shadow. Third floor, interior room. The room is sealed so I couldn't tell what's in there."

Shadow nodded and expended an 'extra life'. He started to look a lot better with his growing a little more focused. He sped off toward the archway as Knuckles and Rouge looked up.

"Race you to the top?" Rouge suggested.

Knuckles shoved her aside and ran for the large machine. He dove into the brick making his arms turn into flame wheels. He smashed into the ground and disappeared as Rouge flapped her wings. She took to the air shaking her head in disagreement.

Rouge smirked. "Poor thing can't tell where the top is..."

Knuckles burst from the ground and soared to the middle level of the Doomsday. Rouge's eyes went wide and she kicked off and flew toward the machine. Meanwhile, Shadow had come into the terminal where he could see the platforms and Central Column dead ahead. The black hedgehog peered through the window and focused his Chaos Energy. He flashed away in a Chaos Control and appeared in the control room. Service bots turned to see their aggressor but were slashed through by a well-timed Chaos Spear. Green flames danced atop the severed robots as Shadow turned to survey the room. There were stairs in the rear and the hedgehog headed to the second floor.

Rouge slammed a kick into the hard glass but nothing she did could put a scratch in it. Knuckles was but a few feet down climbing to the bridge as Rouge drilled another Screw Kick into the glass. She bounced off and caught flight again. Knuckles climbed to the sill and raised his giant fist to the sexy agent.

"You gotta have man strength." Knuckles activated flames and slammed right through the glass. The entire window broke and Rouge flew in.

"Made it!" she announced.

"Freeze!" a squad of SWATbots commanded. Knuckles lunged in and ripped the commanding robot to fiery shreds. He dashed left, knocked the second robot down, and made a fireball for the third. The fourth one fired its laser and it slammed into a crystal shell. Knuckles spun around the crystal and knocked the SWATbot on the side as it curled around his fist. The valiant Knuckles had bested another squad of Robotnik's tin cans. Rouge sent out thin crystals as shuriken and sliced each service bot that called for assistance.

"Keep watch on the door." Rouge typed in the keyboard. "I'll get things going."

Knuckles nodded and waited by the door with folded arms.

Shadow made it to level three and brashly drew enemy fire. He was weaving in and out of Chaos Control, taking out the third floor SWATbots with such power and finess. Shadow sailed through the squad and opened the door to find more gunfire.

Shadow vanished amid the hailing lasers and reappeared on the opposite side of the room. A flash of periwinkle and magenta ignited from his hands signaling his use of Shadow Flash. The SWATbots didn't know what hit them and the service bots were decommissioned on the spot.

"Successful so far." Shadow stated. He turned to the six generators on the right of him and noticed the exceedingly thick glass domes covering them all. There was lightning swirling on the inside of the domes containing the output of the massive turbines. Shadow held his hands up and concentrated on his Chao-Kinetic power. He readied his power and simply snapped his fingers. Five lime, magenta and periwinkle flashes accrued in the gaps of the six domes and lightning surged across the entire room. Shadow disappeared immediately with a Chaos Control and appeared in the hallway.

"Time to get back with the others." Shadow stood and felt his head. He tipped over and fell into the wall – too much power output for one day. He could feel the strain throughout each molecule of his body. The strain of his abilities was far too great on him. A good weeklong rest would be really rewarding right about now. But he couldn't wait any longer, Rouge and Knuckles needed him and so he went on.

"Water is on the way my King." Rouge spun around in the hard chair.

"All we have to do is wait for Shadow. I still sense his Chaos Energy, he's not too far from us."

Rouge got up from the chair and walked toward Knuckles. "Maybe a little distance will do him some good."

"Huh?" Knuckles turned around. Rouge put her arms Knuckles and gazed at him passionately.

"Finally got you to myself."

She went in for the kiss but Knuckles turned away.

"I love Julie-Su, Rouge." Knuckles pushed her off him. "I would think you would have been over it by now."

"I'm a girl that likes the finer things." Rouge shrugged. "And you are fine."

"Someday you'll stop."

"And it'll be the same day I give up thieving."

Laser fire skidded across the threshold as the two dove out of the way.

"This conversation is over." Knuckles yelled launching bands of fire out the door to the bots mounting an assault.

"I'm gonna bar the doors!" Rouge got up and ran for the control board as Knuckles gave more cover fire. In a few seconds, the room lights all turned red as shutters and doors started to seal. Grenades rattled underneath the closing doors and hit against Knuckles foot.

Shadow reentered from Chaos Control in the bridge.

"Grenades!" Knuckles yelled. Shadow tackled the King across the room as Rouge raised a hand and covered over the explosives. Her crystal enclosure saved them from the fury of the three grenades.

"The chamber is already starting to flood." Shadow helped Knuckles up. "Looks like you were successful."

Rouge scoffed. "And you?"

Shadow just gave her a haughty look.

"Guess that's a yes." Knuckles nodded.

The square room started to shake as they all looked toward the door. The SWATbots were getting anxious trying to rattle the door open. Except they weren't; the rattling continued for almost too long when the rear half of the room slid down revealing a second half of the room where Shell Squad Egg Pawns held rifles and EggRobo curtly holding his arms behind his back.

"Stun him!" the machine pointed.

Six stun blasts slammed into the black hedgehog as Knuckles shuffled Rouge behind him.

"EggRobo!" Knuckles gnashed. "I thought I took care of you the last time you were on my island!"

"Rebuildng is rebirth anew my liege..." EggRobo bowed. "Ready the weapon."

An Egg Pawn shifted to the computer console behind him and jacked in with three computer wires. The red lights above made everything monochrome in crimson as four small pillars emerged in the corners of the room. There were round heads on the tops of them when they all starting jutting out antennas.

"Robotnik has always wanted to capture you all." EggRobo started. "But you miscreants had outgrown your cages. With your kingdoms and societies and your little ways of life you grew prideful. I've just learned that pride is only one of many sins you have committed. In fact, Mobius is a breeding ground of infestation... and the only way to get rid of an infestation is to hold it by the throat and watch it cling to life, hoping it could take one more breath of precious air. Right now begins the suffering."

EggRobo nodded to his soldiers. "This is a Reckoning."

_|_|_|_ The Freedom Fighters witness the arrival of Doctor Robotnik _|_|_|_

The Freedom Fighters were in the same situation as the rest of the team in Angel Island - trapped within Robotnik's plan. Sonic and the others were sealed shut in the bridge of the deadly Project: Doomsday where they were going to make their escape through the main elevator to the surface of Megaopolis. Before they could even progress, the room barred them in and odd antenna machines rose from the four corners of the rectangular room. The Freedom Fighters questioned the situation when their answer came in the form of the purest of evil.

"Good evening... rodents..." Doctor Robotnik smiled.

"Buttnik!" Sonic spat. He took a few steps and homed in on the dictator. The blue hedgehog slammed against Robotnik and wound up bouncing into the computers. Sonic got up and tried a spin dash but ended up on the other side of the room smashed into another set of computers. Sonic got up again and revved his legs into the Figure Eight.

"Sonic wait!" Sally called. "He's surrounded by a security field."

The blue blur leapt off the computers and brushed himself off. "You got a lot of nerve coming here to face us fatty."

Robotnik looked down on the hedgehog. "On the contrary rodent, you've proved audacious with the stunt you pulled. Sneaking into Megaopolis, trying to disrupt my storehouse, even going so low as to sink my Doomsday into a mix of water and electricity; not to mention scrambling my master key code."

"We finally one-upped ya Robuttnik, it's over." Bunnie exclaimed.

Robotnik scowled. "Tell the help not to talk to me directly, Sonic."

Antoine shuffled forward revealing his sword in the process. He slashed for the security field but nothing could pierce it.

"Face the facts animals," Robotnik shrugged. "You are trapped. You do know what happens to an animal when it gets trapped don't you. It gets put down. And oh how high you think yourselves to be."

"We fight for what is right Robotnik." Amy raised a fist at him.

"Oh we'll that's a good thing to know, maybe even build upon that for later use, but I could care less about freedom. I have a planet to make in my own image."

Cream stretched out her hand trying to Control the field but it only lightly rippled. Robotnik noticed the waves in his field and heartily laughed. He continued his joyous belts of giggles even shedding a tear and wheezing until he went back to his stern, stone, stoic stance. His blood red eyes watched the lesser ones below him like a drone.

"Give a rodent a weapon and it thinks it can go to war." Robotnik revealed his left arm and held up his wrist to his mouth. "Ready." he muttered.

"What are you planning Robotnik?" asked Sally. "You're Project: Doomsday is underwater and is awaiting explosion. There's nothing left for you."

Robotnik paused.

He literally stopped moving and the Freedom Fighters were amiss to his paralysis. Robotnik raised his hand and tinkered with his long rough orange mustache and fiddled down to his goatee. He gleefully closed his eyes as a wretched smile came across his face.

"Three months!" he yelled rolling his 'R' in the process. He paused again holding up the number three on his fingers. The Freedom Fighters started to ask a follow up question when he started up again.

"And before those three months it was six months." Robotnik announced. "Nine! Months! Seven days, sixteen hours, forty-five minutes, four seconds, five seconds, six seconds, seven seconds..."

"What is he doing?" Mina asked.

"The time it has taken me to completely destroy, eradicate, and terminate any chance of hope you might have. Hope is weakness, you all have hope, therefore you are all weak. I am strong, you are weak, therefore you will die. The Reckoning is upon us my low, inconsiderable rodents, and it is near! The final hour is upon us! Where the ultimate hammer of god shall strike from the heavens and annihilate the lowly ones to the point of fatal and rather entertaining…" Robotnik rubbed his fingers against one another, "Death. Ending any games you thought you had a chance of winning."

"What is the Reckoning?" asked Sonic.

Robotnik turned his head to the side. "Were you not... Were you not paying attention? I sit here explaining things to a very fine detail and you continue to insult my intelligence. My prowess. My very presence. You, hedgehog, have gotten to the core of me yet again. My malice for you is enough to trump even a googolplex."

The Freedom Fighters still wasn't used to Doctor Robotnik's presence but they could sense he was a bit off. Robotnik stroked his goatee and stared down at the resistance. He had them right where he wanted them and in a few minutes he would have them completely defenseless.

"Looks like old Buttnik is at it again guys." Sonic stared at the evil doctor with that cocky smirk. He looked and saw there was an emblazoned look in the hedgehog's eye that Robotnik had seen too many times. Robotnik read his body language: exuding raw confidence, burning determination, roaring efficiency, and limitless freedom. Sonic glared at the dictator and gave a wink. Robotnik's blood began to boil and his dark heart lusted for the chance to mutilate this rodent.

Sonic continued. "It won't matter. No matter how smart he thinks he is, how many machines he throws my way, however grand the scale, the fact remains that I always come out on top. Every time!"

Robotnik's face diluted into one of annoyance and fury. The doctor sighed trying to pin up the frustration and anxiety of tearing his own field down and strangling the blue blur until his head popped.

Robotnik inhaled and leaned forward. "Then let's see what happens when I press this button." The maniacal overlord lifted his roboticized left arm and pressed a trigger button on his forearm. The four antenna machines started to whir and whine when a green light formed a ring around the room.

"Let's see you conquer this one hedgehog!" Ivo cackled. "I'm awaiting your daring escape! Please relate to me how you're going to survive this without a limb torn from you."

Robotnik wheezed and whinnied from his own self-inflicted mad laugh. The Freedom Fighters tuned him out as they turned to the light show around them.

"Take out the machines!" Sally directed. Each member went into motion and launched an assault. Security fields rippled from the display of ability and power while Robotnik laughed more and more; he suddenly went silent baring his gross teeth in an all-knowing grin.

"I've thought of everything rodents!" Robotnik taunted them. "From start, to finish, and even the stroke of genius that I must say I outdid myself on."

His words fell on deaf ears.

"Oh you don't know?" Robotnik's metallic echo added to his interrogative inflection. "The little battle in Knothole was only the beginning. You see I discovered exactly what made you tick with my test run on The Death Egg. Animals! You think you have the right to do whatever you want! ...That's why I'm here to slay you like the beasts you are. It was upon my vessel I witnessed you displaying abilities, or superpowers."

Robotnik chuckled. "Like a common childhood story hero! Initially, my first thought was to kill you as you stand but where would the fun be in that. It's much better to gloat to people who can actually understand you instead of the deceased. Fast forward to the Battle at Knothole - what a grand distraction that was and EggRobo was the icing on the cake. Having planned a strategy to occupy every facet of your military and government it was easy for my spider-bots to take samples of your very deoxyribonucleic acid."

The group beneath was attentive to his every word as Robotnik folded his arms behind his back.

"Do not be afraid only a select few can expect the thrill of what's coming next," Robotnik evilly grinned, "specifically those initiated into the Element Integration Application."

Amy, Cream, and Sonic paused while Bunnie, Antoine, Mina and Sally looked at them. They were in immediate danger but from what. All they knew is that they were trapped in a high intensity security field until individual cylinders of the security field wrapped around the empowered three and the array turned red.

"As I speak I have you and your little rats trapped in the same situation on Angel Island begging to be done away with. I'm going to strip those wretched things you call powers from you and leave you to die in the inclement explosion!"

Robotnik slammed the trigger button again as the green and red security fields started brightening to white as electricity filled the room. Robotnik watched with a sinister feeling of pleasure. Red bolts surged through the EIA bearers while white lightning shocked the others.

"Don't worry there's plenty of pain for everyone to get their fair share."

Screams were all that was heard. The pain was torturous for Amy, Cream, and Sonic. Their abilities had been implanted into their very core with excruciating surgery - something they thought they would never have to go through again. Now Doctor Robotnik was taking it out of them by extreme, unreal force. The barricade that held them was filled with white light as grinding electricity filled the area. Robotnik was hysterically laughing from the agony coming from before him, watching his enemies writhe in pain and knowing he was going to add to it. Robotnik stroked his goatee and jerked from trying to hold in more laughs. The others without abilities felt as if they were in the electric chair with countless volts surging through their systems. No person should endure the things occurring, but it was the reality of their situation and Robotnik never doubted he would reach this point. Everything was to mislead them to this junction in time and nothing was going to get in the way of his Reckoning.

The surges stopped.

Ten complete minutes being held on life's edge through unimaginable shock torture and they were down on the ground cooking from the volts.

"Relax... you're still alive." Robotnik smiled and released his security field. He strolled in the bridge and waved his left arm effectively releasing the seals and blast doors of the bridge. The water was halfway up the glass and rising to fill the huge underground reservoir."You can be at ease. This isn't animal hell, not yet." Robotnik walked past downed Amy, unconscious Antoine, decommissioned Bunnie, paralyzed Mina, comatose Cream, sedated Sally and kicked over Sonic the Hedgehog. "Tell me hedgehog, how are you going to come on top this time?" Robotnik asked and actually turned his ear toward the hedgehog.

No answer of course, Sonic was out cold.

"You may be an agent of Chaos, rodent, with your energies and your natural abilities but you'll never defeat my order. I've figured you out hedgehog, you were the last puzzle piece that fits into my perspective. The Chaos Theory will be of no aid to you now, for death is an order none can refuse."

Doctor Robotnik smirked and leaned back up to turn back to his elevator.

"...I'll... stop... you... no... matter... what..." Sonic barely voiced. Robotnik felt as if a specter just haunted him and rightly so he should. The hedgehog should be out for days let alone a few minutes. Robotnik turned around and waddled for his downed enemy.

"Stop this!" Robotnik kicked Sonic across the room and watched him tumble toward the door. Ivo Robotnik grabbed his black overcoat and whisked it as he turned around heading for the elevator. He extended his left arm toward the computers as an alarm sounded. Robotnik entered the elevator and turned to face his guests. He stared at the with cold expressionless eyes and then waved his arm again. The elevator closed and the car lifted back into the ceiling.

Doctor Robotnik had exited the building.

"Self-destruct in one-minute and counting." the system's computer voice stated. "Fifty-nine, fifty eight, fifty-seven..."

The Freedom Fighters were all across the floor still smoking from the heinous attack they received. The hope of living in a free world was starting to slip away yet again. The life of freedom was elusive as long as Robotnik remained.

"Forty-five, forty-four, forty-three...

Knuckles, Rouge, and Shadow were all in the exact same position having suffered their wrath from EggRobo rather than Doctor Robotnik. Still the results, unbearable as they were, had reached them. They too will die in the destruction of Project: Doomsday in a matter of seconds.

"Thirty-seven, thirty-six, thirty-five..."

The duty of fighting tyranny and all forms of Robotnik's Regime would fall to the younglings. Rotor and Uncle Chuck would be the ones to guide them and Elias would support them any way he could. Sonia and Manic, the golden children of the Hero of Knothole, would be summoned to heed the call while others would join them. Like parents, like children.

"Twenty-two, twenty-one, twenty..."

The Freedom Fighters would be held as legends, mighty forefathers who stood up and fought for what they believed in. Knothole and Angel Island would come together as one ready to end Robotnik for the scum he truly is and live the dream these pioneers carved for them. They were orphaned and abandoned due to Robotnik's initial siege, they spent their entire lives resisting the genius, it only felt right to go peacefully in the line of duty.

"Twelve, eleven, ten..."

Project: Doomsday shook from the first concussive blast in the middle section of the structure. The next six explosions came from the terminal and the remaining countless dozen scattered from top to bottom. The smaller Doomsday on Angel Island exploded in the same fashion, leaving the area decimated and flooded. The threat of the entire planet disappeared with the destruction of that machine; then again, it was only a vassal – acting as a true trap for the ones who took the bait.

Robotnik returned to his headquarters and sat in his chair amid the dark. He couldn't help but cry out in extreme laughter with head back, mouth open, and fingers sprawled in every direction. He held his massive gut and even caught a second wind and cried tears of joy. The gross act of torture by electricity and even removal of the deeply entrench powers was a joy to him. What put him over the edge was the fact that he murdered them all while they helplessly lay on the floor.

Robotnik stopped his laughing, returning to the stone-faced genius in an instant. He turned toward the massive screens on his right and waved his left arm. The screens came to life as Robotnik pressed his fingers together and leaned forward.

"Phase One complete." he spat. "Initiate Phase Two. Launch the satellite."

Robotnik leaned back into the darkness starting to laugh yet again as the images on the screen showed a launch base starting its countdown. Robotnik pressed his fingers together even tighter as fuel ignited and the flames started to send the rocket into the sky. The tower holding the rocket shifted back and the skyward transport lifted off. It soared into the sky leaving aftershocks on the ground below. Before long it was like a shooting star heading into the many layers of Mobius' atmosphere.

Robotnik continued his laugh as his vision starts to become a reality.

**What a wild ride it has been! With the Chaotix and freedom Fighters both trapped within Dr. Robotnik's design the future looks bleak for Mobius. With that said there will be a brief hiatus [1-2 week(s)] until issue 46 but I can guarantee that Sonic 51 is complete and I'm quite happy about how things have turned out. in the meantime please keep reviewing and giving feedback especially the anonymous guest who is a complete Shadow fan. Hopefully he read this chapter also. Anyway, thanks for the support and help break the 100 review mark. Up over and Gone.**


	46. Trial By Fire

He watched the rocket lift to the sky.

There Robotnik goes again, hatching diabolical scheme after another. The latest plan of that monster's had left the Freedom Fighters in dire straits. The way it was looking no one could best Robotnik at any time. He'd been successful in all facets of his scheme, even factoring in variables should something go wrong. Nothing went wrong, however, his strategy had played into the right situation and as a result his rocket launched high into the sky.

And all he could do is watch.

All he _did_ want to do is watch.

Robotnik was Knothole's problem and not his. His obstinate view of the refuge city was a callous one, seeing it as more of a pushover than a final home for freedom. Kings were corrupt, computers spying on the people, councils slow to action, and a princess so headstrong she can't give up her title. Still, it wasn't the worst thing in comparison to egomaniacal attention horde that is the hedgehog.

The Hero of Knothole, as he was so valiantly called, managed to sway everyone on board with that repugnant attitude of arrogance. Humility was not in him and as far as pride he had too much of the attribute. Claiming the name of hero with undesirable traits among him, he was corrupt. What really made him sick is that no one else even noticed it or even cared to address the problem. Sonic was the epidemic here, he was the one who abandoned them, he was the one who destroyed the balance, he was the one to push Robotnik this far. Now that madman, teetering on the fine line of genius and lunatic, launches his next assault into the stars all for his grand reckoning.

He folded his arms and watched the rocket again.

No matter what happened Robotnik always ventured to space to make his final assault and this time was no different. The first time he witnessed it so long ago is when Sonic forced him to stay behind as that hedgehog jumped across the sky onto the Wing Fortress transporting the Death Egg into orbit. Despite the fury he held inside he ended up saving Sonic from an eventual plunge to Mobius.

Still, what was the thanks he got? A thumbs up? Inconceivable.

He started to grow angered from his memory again. Sonic always abandoned him in the most taxing situation like when the Death Egg rose a second time and Sonic left Tails on the Launch Base edge. Or the third time when Robotnik was making his escape into the Doomsday Zone and Sonic left him behind. And in further hindsight, when the two first met, the hedgehog wanted Tails to go away.

Sonic had been a glory hog since day one.

"I should have known." he said.

He stood up and finally saw the rocket disappear among the black sky. He was in a wooded area outside the limits of Megaopolis pondering things over in a secluded forest. The pollution hadn't begun to sink in the area yet so things were still green and lush although the smell was another factor. He walked from his seat on a stump and started for his little camp. It was nothing really, just a small makeshift fire pit and a stone den to sleep in. He traveled through the bushes and pushed some leaves aside to get his new home in view. He started to make a fire for the fish he had caught earlier when the sound of thunder interrupted him. It's not every day one sees a rocket shoot into the sky. He slammed two rocks together and sparks flew down into the brush. The sticks ignited and shortly there was a fire brimming.

"You live a humble life." she said.

He turned around whisking his body into fighting position. She raised both hands in an innocent position as he watched her coldly. No one had ever snuck up on him before, how long was she watching him?

"Who are you?" he asked.

"A friend." she approached.

"How did you find me?"

"I looked."

He didn't like any of her answers.

"Leave this place. Never come back."

"I cannot."

"Go away."

"I came to you in this moment of time so that I could speak with you." she sounded a tad desperate in her voice which was melodious and beautiful. Her small acute mouth voiced accented words with a hint of prestige in them.

He wasn't buying it. "I said leave!"

"I am sorry, but I will not move, I have the utmost regard and respect for you and I must know your thoughts before The Reckoning occurs."

He chuckled. "Reckoning... What do you know?"

She almost started to spill everything but she held it together. "May I sit down?"

He turned away, not sure if he could trust her. "Sit down."

She lowered her hands and curtly walked to the logs surrounding the fire. "I promise you I will not do you any harm."

"Why are you here?"

She inhaled and exhaled. "Believe it or not I was going to pose the same question to you."

He paused.

"Were the situations too dire for one ultimate choice?"

He was about to unload questions on her but he read the body language. She was leaning forward stroking her short hair behind her ear with crossed legs. She was intrigued to say the least, and he decided to finally comply.

"Apparently you must know more about this than I assumed."

She nodded.

He sighed and looked to the sky. "I thought I killed Sonic that day. The day The Death Egg appeared again. Me and the Freedom Fighters had invaded the egg trying to destroy it from the inside while Station Square was mounting their attack on the outside."

"The Free World Alliance forcibly joined by the rising of The Death Egg." he nodded. "We had split into teams, one to take out the shield array, one to destroy the power generator, and one to destroy the robotization field. I chose not to join Sonic in his glory hogging and decided on confrontation. I stormed through the station and eventually found my way to the bridge..."

"You met with _Him _didn't you?"

He nodded again and buried his head into his hands. She placed a hand on her chest and as she witnessed him break down.

"One conversation... One whole conversation and look what I've done..."

She tried to console him. "It's okay, it's okay."

He straightened up a bit and continued. "Robotnik swayed me... He made me see the side of Sonic I never knew - one that restricted me to a little cage, that held me down when I try to get ahead, that never gave me the chance..."

"And you got your chance, in the years past."

He shook his head. "I was still met with failure. The ever changing system didn't give me time..."

She exhaled and looked away. "I'm sorry for bringing these memories back to your mind but I need to know."

He waved it off. "Memories are forgotten and then revisited. This is my constant. Are you cold?"

"I'm fine."

He threw some wood onto the fire, set the fish with sticks, and planted them into the ground near the flames.

"Why are you so interested in me?"

She sidestepped. "What happened after Robotnik talked to you? Surely more than that occurred?"

He didn't like that she was dodging questions. He could sense her anxiety but proceeded with an answer anyway.

"Sonic happened. He came in bearing the emeralds as Super Sonic. Robotnik tempted me with his power and I struck him down with the intention of murdering him. I was reckless, even going so far as to kill the others. It wasn't long after that they retreated."

She gestured, "Please go on."

Tails checked the fish and turned them around. "Robotnik wouldn't stop laughing. That lunatic had convinced me what I had done and pretty much worshiped me. But that didn't last long. He granted me all access in his empire and let me roam free for about a week or two. I was lost in my confusion and incoherent to anything else, but Robotnik summoned me to his chambers. He made it seem as if I was a guest of honor...

"Robotnik had set a trap for me. He said he needed to test out a few things before starting The Reckoning and I would be the latest casualty of his conquest. He trapped me and took away everything..."

He paused for a few moments.

"Everything?" She asked.

Tails nodded, opening his hands as he did. "I woke up days after and I remember him looking down on me. I can see it so clearly and when he said those words to me I knew I had done wrong: 'Dear, dear Miles, why do you betray your own kind?'. He left me to die here in the limits while he claimed he would do the same to the rest of my former friends. I've been here ever since, trying to move on..."

She sat back a bit and stared at the fire. His story was sad, undoubtedly, but she could not force a tear to fall. She pointed to the fish, which were blackened and crisp. Tails sighed and grabbed the four sticks. He nestled on the log next to her and offered the two least burnt.

"You hungry?" Tails asked.

She gratefully accepted and bit into the side..

"It figures you like fish." he started. "So what about-"

"Why do you betray your people?!" she exclaimed. She covered her mouth in surprise from her own brazen words and looked away. Tails stopped and turned to look away also.

"I'm... I'm sorry."

"Don't."

"I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay. I've prepared my answer for that question anyway."

She looked at him again as he stared into the fire. He was on the edge of his log letting the ruffled nine tails flow behind him. His golden yellow fur looked dirty and the stress of life aging his face, especially his once bright blue eyes.

"I betrayed them because it was the necessary thing to do." Tails stated.

She stared at him in disbelief.

"With me on the opposing lines claiming truths, it will give them focus and make Knothole a better place. And when that happens I'll be there to take it back. What I told you was right, my temptation and turncoat ways were heavy on my mind but it wasn't guilt, let's just call it my transitional period."

She snapped the twigs she held from her tight infuriated grip.

"I will be whatever I need to be in order to make my point. Knothole breeds corruption and I can't tolerate that." Tails explained.

She turned away and looked to the ground. "What a... shameful logic you have. But I suppose I did ask for it."

Tails watched her for a few seconds and turned to the fire, eating his fish.

"I have gathered all the information I need." she stated.

"My turn." Tails looked at her. "Who are you?"

"No one." she stood up. "We acted of our own accord simply because we were the last ones left."

"We?!" Tails sprang up and grabbed her arm. The golden fox was paralyzed with a teal green energy emanating from his body as his hand released her burning hot arm. Tails started to float up into the air over the fire and all he could move was his eyes and mouth.

"Yes we." she explained. "I am Blaze the Cat..."

She was of feline descent with lavender fur and piercing yellow eyes and red chakra jewel on her forehead. Her hair was pulled back into a pony tail as she folded her arms. She was donned in purple with lavish silk draped over body. Her upper body was clothed in a thin long-sleeved blouse. Her belly button was exposed and she wore little shorts on her waist exposing her seductive long legs. She wore high-heeled wedges in the design of Sonic's shoes with a little more accent than his. She stared at Tails with saddened eyes before turning behind her and gesturing.

"And this is my friend..."

A hedgehog emerged from the forest holding up his hand toward Tails emanating the same teal energy from his hand and eyes. He was glossy gray with wild hair and sharp blades poking from his head. He wore black gloves with a circle crest on the back and boots that matched with thin tight straps around his shoulder and waist colored in gold. He expertly held Tails airborne as he stared him down.

"The trigger." he announced.

"Silver! Calm yourself!" Blaze commanded.

"Why? He's admitted to everything! Our future is in shambles because of this monster!"

"Silver you know we need more than that." Blaze grabbed his arm. "Set him down please, there is still more I wish to know."

The gray hedgehog complied and sat Tails down on his feet and made him crouch to his knees but restrained his arms with a band of teal around his torso.

"The future huh?" Tails smiled. "How far?"

Silver started to raise his hand to squeeze him tighter as Blaze restrained him.

"I'm afraid you are the one on trial this evening." Blaze started. "Because of your future actions Miles Prower you will have single-handedly doomed Mobius. How do you plead to your actions?"

"I'll let you know when I commit them." Tails struggled trying to get free. Silver looked at Blaze who unfortunately nodded in approval and the hedgehog squeezed him tighter with his psychokinetic energy. Tails reeled back in the struggle to keep his air supply. His nine appendages flared behind him trying to whisk around for his own sake.

"That should be enough." Blaze started "He's not going to talk. What do you think we should do with him?"

Silver rubbed his chin and tapped his foot. "Contain him until this all passes. We can't risk anything happening to our ancestors. This is the most sensitive point in Mobius' timeline and we cannot risk a mistake."

Tails flared his nine appendages and directed the ends toward the new hedgehog. Blaze watched him as Silver ran through possibilities when sparks ignited from the fox. Her eyes went wide as Silver turned to look. Tails launched nine volleys of lightning and caught the pair off guard. The energy surrounding the fox dissipated as his streams of electricity arced into the sky.

Silver shielded Blaze as Tails quickly scurried through the woods. The sound was thunderous and their ears rang for a time. Blaze realized she was being guarded from nothing and threw Silver from her.

"Get off of me!" she stepped forward as Silver looked to the sky.

"Just doing my job, princess." he smirked. "He's this way."

Silver started glowing and took flight above the tree. Blazed watched him take off and decided to depart herself. She took off in an instant darting through the trees.

Tails passed multiple trees using his own propellers to glide across the ground. He weaves through trees and over bush to get to a clearing. He lifted his winding propellers toward his back and off he soared. Tails took flight as Blaze below stopped and watched him go. She started to build an attack of her own when Tails jerked and returned to the ground. Silver soared overhead and acted as a sentry from the skies.

Tails got up and brushed off his shoulders.

"You lie about your powers." Blaze started. "You knew we were here for you?"

"The best strategy is to make the enemy think your weak." Tails winked, crouched, and spun his tails in the process. "Now neither of you will return to the future."

"Silver and I will do everything to make our future brighter." Blaze started. "Even if it means going through the legendary Miles Prower."

"I thought you promised me you wouldn't harm me." Tails inched closer.

The feline princess dropped her stance.

"You seem too regal to break any promises." Tails got closer again.

"I wasn't lying to you when I said that, but it doesn't mean I didn't come prepared." Blaze lifted up her hands slowly as Tails darted toward her. The area started to get hotter as her chakra jewel flashed orange. The surrounding tree line erupted in flames sealing the only escape into the skies and past Silver. Tails didn't stop though as he barreled right for the cat. She dodged his flurry of punches, the lightning induced tail whips, and the point blank strike of lightning. Blaze ducked the thunderous strand and back flipped into the blazing tree line. Her ability to create the flames and withstand them are no small feat but pale in comparison to the gray hedgehog's coming down to meet him.

"Surrender." he demanded. "You don't stand a chance with my psychokinesis. I don't want to fight you."

Tails looked around him and to the sky; he could escape with a few planned moves. "A fight means there is equal chance of both sides winning. This will be a slaughter!"

Tails ran forward activating a Magna Fox: Repel move as Silver graced over him with a psychokinetic field. The fox was absorbed instantly when lightning flashed outward from his body. The teal aura broke into pieces and dissolved as Tails leapt and slammed Silver with a punch. The gray hedgehog bounced across the ground and came to a crouch. He looked up as Tails built up another electrical attack - his hand in the shape of a gun.

Silver formed an aura around his body as the Lightning Tail attack surged over him. Silver was pushed back into the emblazoned tree line with his aura dissolving as quickly as it was forming to protect him. Tails had one hand occupied in the continuous strike when he reeled up enough power for a double barrel Lightning Tail attack. Tails blasted out electricity from his second hand just as Blaze dropped down from behind him. The golden fox ceased his press and swiped for Blaze. She read his movements easily as she seamlessly ducked each attack she was given. Tails started to grow frustrated but realized she wasn't going on the offensive. Tails threw another quick combo and turned around to throw a kick. Blaze watched him closely but the kick never came. The fox spun his nine turbines and blasted her away with enough gusts of wind.

Silver grabbed Tails and arched him toward the ground in front of the hedgehog. Silver reeled back both of his hands quickly and pressed the fox deep into the ground. Mud, dirt and dust erupted into the sky forming a crater where Tails was at the epicenter. The tree line in front of silver was smoking from the smothering of dirt and Blaze watched from Silver's right. He looked down into the center of the crater as Tails slowly rose to his feet. He flared his nine tails as bolts of electricity formed on the tips of them. Silver got into his stance again when Tails focused on the newcomer from the future.

"I won't let you spoil my plans!" Tails yelled. The fox straightened his tails out horizontally as the nine bolts launched into the darkened skies above. Blaze watched from her point of view as Silver tightened his posture.

"For the love of Mobius you will! I'll do whatever it takes." Silver formed a red and blue energy in his hand that glowed a few millimeters from his hand. The rest of his body he covered in the normal teal aura. Tails felt the Chaos Energy from his enemy and played things with caution. Whatever attack Silver was generating it would be lethal. The golden fox searched for Blaze's Chaos Energy and noticed how weak it had gotten. She had power but nothing over time and the flames continuous burning was taking a toll on her. Tails flew out of the crater and dove strait for the cat. Silver was unprepared but flew after him anyway.

Tails dove for her but she was ready. She dodged his advance and watched the fox throw rapid punch after punch. He was pushing himself this time trying to land some sort of hit but Blaze was too fast. Tails threw a combo as she back flipped away when his tails curled around his body and aimed at her. Strikes of lightning blasted toward her as her reflexes weren't as fast as light. The first shot hit her in the the arm but she would dodge the next three. The fourth shot got her in the thigh and then the next two lightning strikes.

Blaze was down in a matter of seconds when Silver came to her rescue bearing the red and blue energies in his palms. Silver dove for the fox when Tails sidestepped and grabbed his wrist. Tails took advantage of his flight and forced him to hit Blaze with the deadly blue energized hand. His palm was on her forehead as her body went limp, then the flames followed becoming extinguished in a few seconds. Tails released Silver from his clutches and back flipped a good distance away. The fox had bested two time travelers from making his goal a success.

"Blaze!" Silver grasped her. She wasn't saying any words and her eyes were rolled back into her head. "Blaze! Blaze! Stay with me! You're going to be okay!"

"No she won't." Tails uttered. He energized his palm and thrust through Silver's back leaving the sound of thunder in its wake. Tails stared at the two with no remorse in his eyes as everything around them went black. The sound of embers dying ceased and the feel of leaves and grass underneath went numb. Tails looked around and questioned what happened. He could feel a great weight pressing on him but nothing was around - only darkness.

"Something's wrong." he flinched.

Tails was on his knees with head to the sky and eyes rolled in the back of his head. There was a small stream of drool trying to form on his lip as Blaze folded her arms. Silver held his left hand on Tails' forehead as he let his red right hand build.

"You cut it entirely too close this time." Blaze stepped back.

"Well I didn't know he'd be this powerful." Silver reeled his right hand back a little further. "He's in a catatonic state right now. I'm about to make sure he can't wreak havoc for this world and ours."

The moment the fox touched Silver is when his game ended. The blue energy was a mind lock technique, which forced Tails to see an illusion of what happened. Meanwhile, Silver held his palm on Tails' head, with power building in his opposing hand.

"Hurry up. We have two more objectives to fulfill." Blaze stepped back.

Tails, within his mind, felt the weight pressing even more. He could make his arm or his leg move but he didn't feel the sensation. His mind was active but his body was not. Tails felt like he was being crushed yet he was standing and searching for this weighty object. Then he remembered: 'Surrender! You don't stand a chance with my psychokinesis. I do not want to fight you.'

Tails clinched his fists. "Psychokinesis! The powers of the mind!"

On the outside, Silver was on the cusp of enough power to rid the world of this scourge. Suddenly, Tails regained control of his body with his eyes rolling to their normal position and his zombie-like stance getting the control of a normal being. Silver reacted and trusted his right arm forward. Tails whisked his appendages as nine columns of light rained down from the clouds. The result of his sending bolts up into the sky to deluge electricity down onto the battlegrounds. Silver and Blaze were thrown back and also Tails from his own attack.

Ash and debris filled the air and the ground was scorched to pitch black. The three fighters survived but with heavy damage to all of them. Silver writhed first, getting to his belly and pushing up to see Blaze beyond a few rocks on her haunches and shaking her head. It had been a good hour since the strike and flames of lightning flashes were dwindling or dying out. Silver was relieved to see Blaze was okay and beginning to stand when he turned for the enemy on the other side of the field.

He was on his feet but stumbling and falling to the ground like a newborn gazelle. He glared at Silver and Blaze as he started to rise again. He fell in like manner as Silver eased himself up with his psychokinetic power. He limped over to the fox holding his arm as Tails got to one knee and held his eyes on him. Silver stopped a few feet in front of him and returned the glare. Tails tightened his fist whisking his nine tails behind him.

"What'd you do to me?" he solemnly asked.

Silver paused, the confirmation of his attack making him feel successful.

"I created a mental block." Silver stated with a stone face. "You won't be able to access your powers for a long, long time."

Tails shivered with frustration.

He opened his fists and lunged at the gray hedgehog with no result. The lightning he once commanded was now far off from him. Tails fell into the dirt and slammed his fist into the ground. Silver watched him with no regret or remorse, still holding his injured arm. Blaze appeared behind Silver with a few bruises but nothing major. She knelt down and felt Tails' head.

"You could be a hero still." she claimed. "The chance to return your debt remains and the balance of good and evil will shift in the better favor. We were here only to take the necessary precautions, the rest is up to you."

Blaze stood back up as Silver looked over Tails. The fox looked up with fury in his eyes but remained silent. Silver glared at him but then turned his face into a smile full of arrogance and confidence. Tails gripped the ground and tried to get up and smack that grin off his face. The fox fell to the ground again as Silver whisked around.

"C'mon Blaze we have work to do." Silver met up with her.

The two clinched each other as Silver exclaimed Chaos Control and teleported away in a flurry of lime green energy. Tails was in tears, not from the pain or the loss of this battle, but from rage. His ability, as triumphant as he thought it, was taken away from him and what's worse is that hedgehog gave him the same smile Sonic would. He could not escape the umbrella of arrogance that was the Hero of Knothole. He wished he could stand but his body was far too weak at the moment. He remained in the dirt and grime of the battle biding his time when he would strike again.

He would live to fight another day.


	47. Before the Storm

Julie-Su tended to her husband.

The queen had put off several important duties to make sure the King could be well taken care of. After all, he went through an excruciating ordeal. Antoine sat bedside with the Amy and Cream while Bunnie sat a tray down next to Rouge and Shadow. The Freedom Fighters were all in the medical ward of Echidnapolis' Palace. Most of them hadn't figured out how they escaped but the fact that they were still alive was a relief. Sally and the rest of the EIA Freedom Fighters were out cold except for Sonic the hedgehog who sat in bed with eyes barely open. He'd been this way ever since he got them out of the death trap that was Project: Doomsday.

Chaos Control had become an ally to the hero, helping the hedgehog get his friends from danger in two separate and distant locations in under ten seconds. Speed had always been with the blue blur, but with teleportation, he'd be unstoppable. Sonic sat up, feeling much better with each hour passing. He used so many 'extra lives' the strain had drained him along with the electrical torture. He pulled the covers off himself as Julie-Su was first to catch him.

"S-Sonic?" Julie rushed toward him. "No! Stay in bed."

"I can't." Sonic stepped out. "Something's been bothering me."

Sonic felt the blood rush to his legs and he felt even better on his own two feet. He turned around and saw the six friends out cold in their beds. They looked pale and sickly and his heart went out to them. This is the closest he had seen any of them to dying and he refused to look anymore. Then he focused on Sally, his lady love, and smiled. Her eyes were open and she was smiling back at him.

"Sonic..." she said holding a huge grin, "You're okay."

"I'm just glad to see you're okay." Sonic approached her. "Get some rest Sal."

"No..." she started to writhe. "I won't get anything done if I-"

"Sal!" Sonic exclaimed, pushing her back under the covers. Her stubbornness and tenacity proving more abundant than the hedgehog's. She fought against Sonic's well-meaning shoves and eventually pushed Sonic back. The hedgehog was knocked against his former bed as the sheets somehow floated off and onto the floor.

"Sonic!" Sally stepped onto the floor. "I think there's an omen we should heed."

Julie-Su and the others simply stared at the couple.

"Well that beats a rooster's caw any morning." Bunnie smirked.

"Tell me about it..." Rouge turned over in her bed. "A girl can't get her beauty rest with all that noise going on."

Mina walked in holding a tray with light snacks and drinks. "Glad to see some new faces this morning."

"Hey Mina." Sonic waved. Sally walked passed her fiancé and over to Julie-Su.

"Do you have computer terminal or system I can plug into?"

"In the Grand Library." Julie-Su pointed.

"I just passed it on the way here. I'll take you." Mina set the tray in Julie-Su's hands.

"Great. C'mon Sonic." Sally followed the mongoose as Sonic shrugged to the queen and exited the room.

"I thought they'd never leave." Rouge nestled in between her sheets. "Now to get the rest of you out of here so it can just be me and Knuckles."

Julie-Su's face went blank as she hurled a juice at the bat. Her bed was soaked with apple juice and she was immediately in uproar. Rouge ripped the covers from off of her and then she felt weakness hit her hard. She would hurt Julie-Su some other time but for now it was time to rest.

Mina led Sally and Sonic down the majestic halls of the Echidna palace where many elites and servants walked the thoroughfares. The palace was decorated in mostly brown with gold trimming and zigzag lines in all colors across each wall. The place held its tradition well while also imbuing later technology to its locale. There were security locks around doors and a few security cameras in certain public corners. But the most prominent was the Grand Library. Strictly to be used by the Royal Family it served as Echidnapolis' kind of mission room. Sally looked around in awe as Sonic was thrown off by the amount of books and lexicons.

"This place really is old school. They still use the Dewey decimal system." Sonic pointed.

Mina led them to the back of the library where a huge computer screen was stationed and three keyboards below. Sally revealed the Lynx device and pulled out a cord from the station. She plugged it up and the device was immediately recognized.

"While we were in Robotnik's capture I managed to get an audio recording of the conversation we had." Sally looked to the speedsters.

"More like confessions of a lunatic." Mina shot out.

"Exactly." Sonic agreed.

"I didn't have much time to dwell on what he was saying but the feeling I got from it was rather cryptic."

She pressed a few buttons on one of the keyboards and looked up to the screen. It was all grey with a green bar going across horizontally with many ups and downs indicating sense stress and modulation. Sally let the application load for a little more while checking her device. Everything was ready to play as Sally sighed and pressed the play button. Sonic and Mina gathered closer as the cursor inched closer to the audio sample.

"Three months! And before those three months it was six months." Robotnik announced. "Nine! Months! Seven days, sixteen hours, forty-five minutes, four seconds, five seconds, six seconds, seven seconds..."

The audio withered down for a second. "What is he doing?" Mina asked.

"The time it has taken me to completely destroy, eradicate, and terminate any chance of hope you might have. Hope is weakness, you all have hope, therefore you are all weak. I am strong, you are weak, therefore you will die. The Reckoning is upon us my low, inconsiderable rodents, and it is near! The final hour is upon us! Where the ultimate hammer of god shall strike from the heavens and annihilate the lowly ones to the point of." Robotnik rubbed his fingers against one another, "Smithereens."

"What is the Reckoning?" asked Sonic.

Robotnik paused. "Were you not... We're you not paying attention? I sit here explaining things to a very fine detail and you continue to insult my intelligence. My prowess. My very presence. You, hedgehog, have gotten to the core of me yet again. My malice for you is enough to trump even a googolplex."

The audio stopped as Sally rewound the file.

"There's something odd in here." Sally mumbled.

"Tell me about it." Mina shivered. "I get chills when I hear his voice."

"No it's not that." Sally wagged her finger.

"Is it gas? It's probably gas." Sonic shrugged.

"Definitely not that." Sally picked up the Lynx. "Nicole, separate sixteen-point-five seconds to forty-three seconds."

Quickly, the file separated into a new track. Sally muted the longer original file and played the second one again. She listened and truncated, listened and truncated, trying to sort out the cryptic message. Sonic grew restless the first few times he had heard it but he knew in his gut something was wrong. He turned toward the Grand Library's entrance and saw the Chaotix roaming the halls.

"Guys!" Sonic called. He blasted over to the entrance and caught up to the agents of Angel Island. "Long time no see!"

"Sonic!" Charmy zipped over and slapped hands with him. "Boy am I glad to see you!"

Espio, Vector, and Mighty didn't share the same sentiments. Still they took the high road and greeted him.

"Good morning Sonic, it's good to see you on your feet." Espio folded his arms.

"It's better than being on my back six feet under." Sonic smirked. "What have you guys been up to? I haven't seen you guys since the whole Project: Endgame went down."

Mighty huffed.

"Really? We uh, forgot all about that." Vector bumped against Mighty only throwing himself back.

"How is King Knux?" Charmy zipped next to Sonic again. "We heard he was awake!"

"He was out cold when I last saw him but he might be." Sonic shrugged.

"Then he doesn't know about the news yet." Espio turned to go down the hall.

"Wait! What news?" asked Sonic as he stepped for Espio. Mighty held a hand out, effectively stopping the hedgehog in place.

"Chaotix business." he boldly stated.

"Don't you keep me out the loop Mighty. We go way back, remember." Sonic wagged his finger. Mina Mongoose approached with a frantic look on her face.

"Sonic! Everybody!" she exclaimed. "Sally's figured it out!"

Sonic dashed into the Grand Library back to the control panel as the Chaotix interest was piqued and they followed in.

Sally began. "Robotnik always finds a way to gloat to us no matter what. In the past it was blatant, always telling us when and how he was going to strike, over the years he started keeping shut about it and it nearly wiped us out. This Robotnik is no different than the last."

Sally brought up a text file with the words written onscreen. She read aloud: "Where the ultimate hammer of god shall strike from the heavens and annihilate the lowly ones..."

She turned back to her audience. "The Reckoning isn't an assault from god at all. It's-"

"The Ultimate Annihilator." Sonic tightened his fists.

The crowd was grim; each of these agents knew or heard the tale of the fierce device. Project: Endgame was a deathly reminder of the state of affairs the entire world was in and now that its main pillar of destruction was coming back they would have to deal with this again.

Sally nodded. "Yes."

The Chaotix looked among themselves when Vector stepped forward. "It goes with our intel. Last night, in central Megaopolis, scouts reported to have seen a rocket heading into the upper atmosphere."

"Then it has to be the satellite that operates the Ultimate Annihilator." Sally slammed her fist into her hand. "Robotnik isn't pulling any punches this time."

"I'm scared." Charmy cowered.

"Good." Espio folded his arms. "Use your fear to fuel your power."

"We need to go tell our King." Mighty started to head off.

The Chaotix dashed away out the library as Mina focused her attention on Sonic. He was just standing there with tightened fists, looking down at his feet. She looked closer to see he was trembling and the look on his face was of anger and worry. She started to inch in closer to console him and comfort him.

"Sonic." Sally called.

No answer.

"Sonic!" she tried again,

No answer.

Sally sighed. "Listen, I know this is bad but we will find a way."

"I knew it! I knew it had to be this bad!" Sonic started. "Things always come full circle! It's the reason I was comatose in the first place, and the reason Tails hates me. I'm not going to let that madman take away everything I love again."

"Sonic..." Mina started.

He looked at her and released his angered expression.

"We're going to make it through." Sally hugged her fiancé. "And I think I figured it out."

Sonic smiled deviously. "Well what are ya waitin' for Sal! Let's hear it."

Sally grabbed The Lynx from the computer and started heading down the library stacks. She gestured to follow her and the two speedsters did likewise. Sally was on her Lynx the whole way there. They traversed the halls quickly and came into the medical ward and the room where they were all resting. Everyone was awake by now, still groggy and weak, but ultimately alive and well.

The feeling though, was somber.

Everyone just learned the Ultimate Annihilator was making another appearance soon and the hope they once had was spiraling downward.

"Yes Robotnik has rebuilt his Ultimate Annihilator but it's not the end of the world." Sally held up her Lynx.

"Yes it is." Cream shot back.

"Despite opinion and disbelief, I figured out when he's going to strike." Sally announced. "I'm sure the Chaotix mentioned my half of the report while confirming the rocket launch as the weapon."

Knuckles attested to that with a firm nod.

"What makes you so sure you can pinpoint the doctor's launch time from an encoded message?" Shadow questioned.

"Because I did my research." Sally smirked. "From what we could scratch up of the Overlander's archives about the Reckoning this number came up: 666. Other than for the sake of the Reckoning the number has no real significance until three months ago. Robotnik said he struck in six months time after he resurfaced. I went back to check the dates and it's a perfect match. Too perfect. Six months, six days, six hours and the Death Egg re-launched into the sky turning Station Square into Megaopolis. Now on month nine, day nine, hour nine he plans to do it again. Oh! It all makes sense now!"

"Um Sally?" questioned Amy.

The princess started to speak faster, as if her thoughts were pouring out. "Geoffrey St. John said he'll grant those faithful to him a life of eternity or in this case, robotization. Station Square has never actively went against Robotnik until the Death Egg incident. On the other side, Knothole and Angel Island - the ones repeatedly stopping him - the unfaithful, will receive a dealing of death or ultimate annihilation. And he'll do it when the sixes are reversed - the ninth hour."

The Chaotix were in awe from Sally's unraveling the mystery and the rest of the room wanted to applaud. Sonic had nestled himself by the door with folded arms and a smirk. He wasn't at all impressed by Sally's intuitiveness but he did love when she figured the whole truth out.

"Robotnik hasn't changed at all." she announced. "We need to figure out a plan."

"Well it's nine o'clock in the morning now..." Amy checked the clock. "We have a full twelve hours to get ready."

"Then we don't have a second to lose." Sonic chimed in.

Julie-Su had doctors come in and check the status of the wounded and all of them were in good shape. Despite the sheer and utter conclusion that Robotnik had taken away the six of their extra abilities each of them were in good spirits. The EIA was only a defense protocol that they had latched onto since the beginning. Now they were doing things by the book, which meant heavy reliance on knowledge and skill. The stakes were high and the game had changed yet again. The Ultimate Annihilator was a deadly machine but the risk was too high not to do something about it. With Freedom Fighter and Chaotix aligned together in the effort, Robotnik would second guess his actions.

By the time the doctors had gotten through with check-ups and administering medicinal care, the full team was ready to plan out the mission. They had moved from the medical ward and into the Grand Library. There they traveled up a few flights of stairs and into a high arching recessed back room. Knuckles sat at the head of the table with Julie-Su next to him while the Chaotix and Team Dark on the right of the royals and the Freedom Fighters on the left. Sally stood opposite the royals checking a few things on the Lynx device as Sonic sat by the echidna.

"Nice crib ya got here Knuckles." Sonic patted the king on the shoulder.

"Sonic tell me that you feel that?" asked Knuckles.

"What your shoulder?" Sonic smirked. "I wasn't going to say anything but you are puttin' on a couple pounds bro."

"Really?" Knuckles succumbed to his brief moment of gullibility, "Shut up pin cushion! I'm talking about the Chaos Energy!"

Sonic rubbed the underside of his nose. "Can't help ya out there Knux, my Chaos Pulse isn't as good as yours. Next best one is Rouge."

"What is it my king?" asked Mighty.

Sally interrupted the quiet conversation. "Okay, we don't have a lot of time but I think this has to be our best coordinated assault we ever pulled off. Our only opportunity to bring down the Annihilator is when Robotnik travels to space for himself."

"Are we even sure Robotnik is going to go to his own satellite?" Vector asked.

"Yes!" Sally said with urgency. "He said in his own words that god will strike _from_ the heavens. Robotnik won't be on Mobius when he fires that cannon."

"All we are having to do is be sneaking aboard his shuttle." Antoine obliged.

"Right but it won't be that easy." Amy added.

"The security in Megaopolis and even Robotropolis will be magnified." Espio commented.

"The moment we step foot into his little ol' territory, the fight will hit us harder than a buckin' bronco." Bunnie stated.

"A stealth mission is out of the question then." Shadow folded his arms. "An aerial assault would be too blatant and an underground assault would leave us vulnerable at all angles."

"Looks like the last option is a full on spearhead into the joint. Not exactly my kind of deal." Rouge flipped her hair.

"It's gonna have to be doll face." Cream leaned forward. "The whole planet is riding on this moment and the last option is us."

"I agree with Cream." Mina nodded. "This so called Reckoning won't have me shaking in my boots. I intend to see this through."

The strong words of the rookie Freedom Fighter made the rest of their clan that much stronger.

"Even if we don't have our powers..." Amy slumped.

"The powers never made us who we are." Knuckles stated. "We relied on them too much anyway and Robotnik noticed it."

"So now it's just back to basics." Sonic slammed a fist into his hand. "Old-fashioned egg beatin'."

Antoine thoroughly agreed, even to the point of high-fiving the blue blur.

Charmy flew out of his chair. "So now what's the plan?"

"Robotnik isn't using Chaos Emeralds to power this machine, so he must be drawing in the power from somewhere else..."

"Us." Sonic stated.

The room turned to face the hedgehog as he stood up. "The EIA was drawn from the Chaos Emeralds right? Then it has enough juice to power the cannon."

"He's actually right..." Sally calculated. "Sonic how did you know?"

"Experience m'lady. He used the same trick when he made Metal Sonic, using my knowledge against me." he explained, shrugging as he did. "What?! Don't give me those looks. She said it herself: 'Robotnik ain't changed at all'!"

"I'm starting to get behind the idea that we can actually win." Mighty cracked his knuckles.

"We have more than enough resources here alone to stop the inclement danger." Julie-Su added.

Vector and Rouge gave each other a look and started to smile. They were both tired of Julie-Su's voice and presence. Knuckles stood up, throwing the chair he was sitting on back toward the wall. Julie-Su already began praising her husband for defending her well-being from the two naysayers. The king slammed his hands on the table as he leaned forward baring his teeth.

"No one else feels that?" Knuckles interrogated.

Julie-Su shook her head and the rest stared at Knuckles. The red echidna had been a little on edge since he woke up but now he was bordering insanity.

"Knuckles what is it?" asked Sally.

The king started. "There's a disturbance in-"

"The force?" asked Charmy.

"The Chaos Energy!" Knuckles continued. "I've been feeling it ever since I woke up."

"Really I haven't felt a thing." Rouge leaned back.

"My husband has a stronger tie to the energy than just some plain everyday bat." Julie-Su spat.

"I need to go check this out." Knuckles started to walk around the table. "Shadow! You're with me."

The black hedgehog immediately pushed from the heavy table and walked around to meet with the king. The Chaotix didn't like the arrangement already as Rouge got up to follow the boys.

"Just heading to the powder room." Rouge excused herself.

"Hmph!" Julie-Su pouted.

Sally turned back to remaining members and started her plan. "We're going to divide into five groups – each one with a speed type heading into the heart of our target. We will use a five-pronged 'Y' formation to enter the city. The initial four groups will be used to lure off any SWATbots and artillery. Your job will be a crucial one as you will provide the distraction."

"Distraction?" Mighty erupted from his seat. "Why should the four risk their lives for distractions?"

Sonic stood up to contest. "Because I'm the only one that Eggman wants to deal with!"

Espio spat. "What makes you so special?"

Sonic, instead of returning anger for anger, decided to smirk and rub his nose. "Because I'm the only one that stops him. I'm the fastest thing alive Chaotix! Did you forget? I've stopped ol' Robuttnik so many times it's become a chore. Time to sweep up Eggman once again... Besides... Something's off about him, I can tell. He takes what I say completely to heart, you saw it Sal, and if I can take him out now it'll be the end."

"It's Sonic he wants, then its Sonic he gets." Sally surmised.

The Chaotix weren't too pleased with anything in the past five minutes. The Freedom Fighters were used to commands from Sally but this humble attitude the Chaotix were supposed to cultivate for the King's guests had quickly worn out.

"I think we should take a break." Amy said raising her hand.

"Great idea." Mina stood up.

"We'll regroup in an hour, we'll work out details when you return." Sally said as many of the Angel Island residents quickly passed her by. Her own team gave smiles and confident nods as they filed out with Sonic and Julie-Su bringing up the rear.

"I'm going to talk to them." Julie-Su clasped both of Sally's hands. "They're used to being the heroes here but I'll remind them this is not their kind of villain."

"I appreciate it Queen Julie-Su." Sally curtsied in the process. "Thank you."

Julie-Su exited as Sonic approached his lady.

"Thanks for havin' my back Sal." Sonic smiled.

"Are you insane?!" Sally pushed him a little bit.

"What?"

"Show a little respect would ya? This is Angel Island, not home. This is their territory and with you running point it insults them."

"No biggie, Julie-Su is cool with it."

"Oh Sonic... I hope you know what you're doing."

"I do Sal, I really do." Sonic said as Sally started to walk off. "Yo Sal..."

She turned around.

"What do you know about a... Chaos Theory?"

"Chaos Theory?" Sally scoffed. "What are you a professor now?"

"I'm serious."

"You? Serious?" Sally asked as Sonic nodded. "Okay... Chaos Theory is like a series of indeterminable events scattering from the present well into future eons of time. Like if we went back in time and stopped Robotnik from changing the world it would drastically affect our future."

"But that's just time travel."

Sally paused and thought for a moment. "Ugh! You are impossible Sonic Hedgehog. I'm going to go contact home, let them know we're safe and all that. Why don't you get us some lunch?"

Sonic licked his lips. "Chili dogs!" The blue blur became his name and darted through the halls in search of a meal for him and his lady.

_|_|_|_ Knuckles, Shadow, and tailing Rouge arrive at the Hidden Palace Zone_|_|_|_

"This is heaven." Rouge said with gleaming eyes. "Diamonds, rubies, sapphires, gems, pearls, even crystal!"

"Keep moving." Knuckles shoved her along. The echidna king knew all the secret tunnels that led to the different zones of his home. He was the only one adept enough to have memorized each way from any angle. He was the forger of many of these tunnels but this chamber was the most sacred. The Hidden Palace Zone was a massive cavern with many small caves separating from the largest one in the middle. The Master Emerald would lay in the main alter with seven empty alters around the main. There were also eight echidna guards hand-selected to guard the emerald while Knuckles was away. He didn't too much like the idea of someone else doing his sworn duty.

"Take a hike." the King motioned. The eight guards hightailed themselves out as Shadow stood next to the red powerhouse.

"It feels like it's almost too much power." Shadow folded his arms.

"It should." Knuckles leapt up toward the alter. "The Master Emerald releases pure Chaos Energy. What we all have is the watered down version, which is why we meld better with the Chaos Emeralds. Only The Guardian has the power to convert the two."

"In other words we have the natural and the artificial." Rouge appeared holding several different jewels and gems.

"More like concentrated." Knuckles felt on the Master Emerald. "Hello there darling. Happy to see me."

The King leapt onto the Master Emerald and crouched on the massive green gem. Shadow watched with a stoic face as Rouge kept picking up the scattered jewels around the cavern.

"Kid in a candy store, Shadow, kid in a candy store..." Rouge smiled.

"I found them!" Knuckles announced. He stood up on the emerald and closed his eyes trying to home in on a location. "Wait, their gone!"

"I wish I had some idea what you're talking about." Rouge rolled her eyes. "But I could care less now that I have what's most precious to me."

Shadow ignored his friend's comments. "What do you mean they're gone?"

Knuckles leapt down from the shrine and butted his fists together. "Earlier I felt a different wavelength in the Chaos Energy, one that vibrates slower than others. Most of the time I can tell who approaches just by how their energy feels. But this foreign energy feels weaker."

"Why waste time on finding someone who is weaker?" Shadow questioned.

"Because." Knuckles turned back to him. "They each had more than one Chaos Energy Field."

Rouge set her jewels down and marched over to Knuckles. "Impossible! The most anyone can ever have is one. Even the mighty Shadow here with his over-abundant and over-compensated Chaos Energy still only has one!"

"Don't you think I know the rules?" Knuckles erupted. "But apparently they don't apply to these two and that's why I want to meet 'em."

Knuckles butted his fists together.

Rouge got into fighting stance.

Shadow looked between the two and started to question we he felt it. A flash of lime green energy had brightened the cavern. In a burst of light, two beings appeared as silhouettes before the trio. Shadow was into fighting position as the light dwindled down. Their eyes adjusted and they viewed the new arrivals in front of the shrine.

"See! I told you I'm not crazy." Knuckles tightened his fists.

"I'm starting to believe you now." Rouge crouched.

The new pair scoped out the room and locked eyes with the trio.

"Who are you?" Shadow barked, looking down on them with callous eyes.

"Please we beg, do not strike us down. We are in alliance with you." the lavender feline held her hands up.

"We came here to help." the gray hedgehog held his hands up.

The two time travelers had finally made it to their destination, which was a court with the king and the king's men. They quickly bowed to show even more of a submissive posture. Knuckles looked at the others and shrugged.

"My name is Blaze the Cat and this is Silver the Hedgehog." she introduced.

"Love the outfit darling." Rouge waved a hand. "I'm-"

"I know who you are. All of you." Blaze stepped forward.

"You're the stuff of legends where we come from." Silver nodded.

"Where exactly is that?" asked Shadow asked.

"Actually it's more like when." Blaze stated.

"Two hundred years from now." Silver added.

"Two hundred years?" Knuckles rolled his eyes. "I may be a tad bit gullible but this ridiculous."

"Is it? Father of Lara-Su?" Blaze smirked.

Knuckles turned pale.

"Father?" Rouge exclaimed. "You mean you're a father?!"

Shadow acted like he wasn't surprised and quickly moved on. "Why come now of all times. The world teeters in the balance and here you arrive."

"We've come for that reason!" Blaze raised her voice. "With all due respect, of course, sir."

Shadow folded his arms and looked to his teammates. Rouge was shaking Knuckles back and forth screaming that he was a father over and over again. Shadow looked back to the two newcomers and gestured to follow.

"We could use all the help we can get." Shadow said. He broke apart the two and walked in between them. Knuckles welcomed the two wholeheartedly as Rouge wrapped her arm around the cat and started draining her for fashion knowledge.

_|_|_|_ The team's regroup in the Grand Library of the echidna palace _|_|_|_

"Does everyone agree with the plan?" asked Sally.

She mainly looked toward Julie-Su and the Chaotix who weren't so quick to oblige. They had scowls and folded arms all across the table - save for innocent Charmy of course. Julie-Su kicked Espio who immediately nodded and gave a simple nod. They would obey orders but only under the royal decision and not the Freedom Fighters.

The other side of the room easily complied. This was a grand scale battle they were about to take part in and the results would heavily depend on participation. No one was going to back down, not when the stakes were so high. The Ultimate Annihilator, an endeavor of technological and mechanical prowess, is the item to be feared. In the past, it was fired once and decimated Robotropolis. The blast alone cleared everything within a five mile radius, including the former headquarters but left alone hedgehog in the clear middle. Sonic's collection of one-billion rings had shielded him from the death laser but that would only protect him. Everyone else on the planet would suffer the wrath of Robotnik in the press of a button. It was top priority for The Ultimate Annihilator to be taken down.

"Good!" Sally put away her Lynx. "We leave at six... I suggest you take the time up until then to care of any loose ends you may have."

Mina whispered to Amy and Cream. "Loose ends?"

"She means... goodbyes." Cream said while standing up.

Mina sat back and let out a sigh. "Oh..."

"I'm not saying goodbye. I know I'm coming back." Amy said with confidence.

The group started to get up as Knuckles filed in. "Sorry we're late but we found something you guys need to see."

"What is it?" Julie-Su asked from the rear of the room. Shadow and Rouge escorted in Silver and Blaze who stood before the conglomeration of Angel Island and Knothole forces.

"Legends." Silver couldn't help but smile.

"Excuse us for intruding." Blaze bowed. She came up, caught eyes with Princess Sally, and almost exploded with joy.

"And you are..." Sally smiled and held out a hand.

"Blaze! Blaze the Cat!" she quickly shook her hand. "I am not worthy to be in grasp of the Admirable Sally Acorn. Please forgive me, I am gushing."

"It's okay." Sally slightly cringed. "How do you know me?"

"We know all of you..." Silver tapped his foot and flicked his nose.

Sonic furrowed his brow and got up.

Silver started to list them. "Virtuous Amy Rose, Valiant Cream, Dependable Charmy, Indomitable Shadow, Incredible Mighty, Intrepid Antoine, Courageous Vector, Fearless Bunnie, Brilliant Espio, Jubilant Julie-Su, Maverick Mina, Stalwart Knuckles, Ravishing Rouge, and..."

Sonic stepped next to Sally viewing the two new ones with a friendly smile.

"The Hero of Mobius, Righteous and Indignant Sonic the Hedgehog." Silver quickly bowed. "I am not worthy."

"Where'd you pull these guys from? The loony bin?" Sonic reached out his hand. "Alright on your feet."

Silver and Blaze stood at attention.

Sonic looked at Blaze up and down and especially dwelled on her choice of shoes. He moved onto Silver and rubbed his nose while tapping his foot. He easily noticed their Chaos Energy and how weak it was. He stood there for a few more seconds thinking and forming up what this could mean.

"So what brings you to our neck of the woods?" Sonic asked.

"We've come to help." Silver answered.

"They say they're from the future." Shadow added.

Sonic agreed, not fully understanding but acting like it. "Yeah they're from the future, but they've been in the present for a while."

"Yes, yes, how did you..." Blaze stopped.

Sonic still tapped his foot and rubbed his nose. "You're Chaos Energy is low, you musta been fightin' for your lives huh?"

Sonic stopped his mannerisms and peered into both of their eyes. They didn't say anything at first and when they tried, Sonic stopped them.

"I knew Zonic would come through, he always does."

Shadow stepped forward. "No you didn't! You yelled at him and told him to never to return. There's no way-"

"Whether its Sonic Prime or Zonic or this Silver guy here, _we_ always come through when we need to." Sonic patted Blaze and Silver on the shoulders. "We could use all the help we can get. Do you know the plan?"

Blaze nodded. "The plan is a tactical marvel of sheer brilliance; we use it in our future."

"How is that, by the way?" asked Sonic.

Silver grasped Blaze and shook his head. Sonic understood and left it alone. He turned around and gathered the attention of the room yet again and jumped up onto the table. He looked into each one's eyes and gave that arrogant smirk that exuded raw confidence.

"This is not going to be a day of reckoning for us." the blue hedgehog started. "But the start of an era, where we can finally put an end to the tyrant who forces his ways on us. We ain't the type to shrink back when trouble comes knockin'! We definitely are the type to back down from nothin'! Robuttnik is gonna try and takeover this world for the last time today. We're going to show him the way a reckoning is supposed to be! So in the ninth hour, when the chips are down and the heat is on, let's rise to the glorious occasion and do it to it!"

The Freedom Fighters and the Chaotix raise a fist in clamor yelling in response to the speech. "Let's do it to it!"


	48. The Final Hour

"Battalion! Forward!" EggRobo lifted his plasma cannon. Myriads of SWATbots ran forward trying to cut off the invasion of the intruders. He dispatched multiple bots all armed with wrist lasers or handheld laser rifles. Each deadly robot was programmed to ward off any who dare approach. The SWATbots were a better version of badniks providing a better offense than simply roaming around and haphazardly shooting off volleys. With a general in charge, they could carry out a suitable domination. The only thing that held them back was that they were cheap. Mass production turned the army of machines into recyclable soldiers. EggRobo knew the limits each robot he commanded which is why he kept the Egg Pawns back and let the SWATbots do the damage they could.

An Egg Pawn gestured to his commander as EggRobo turned and looked for himself. The humanoid robot produced an odd laugh and waved another battalion forward.

"Twelve in all?" EggRobo numbered them. "This should be most enjoyable."

Robots poured in mainly from the front as the speed type heroes started to cut away a huge slice of the defense. EggRobo zoomed in again and recognized most of the pests except for two. Had Sonic and Sally reduced themselves to costumes in the midst of the war tide?

"Keep it up!" Mina encouraged.

Silver and Blaze, with psychokinetic and pyrokinetic abilities they shredded apart every bot that got in eye sight. The other ten followed behind fending off with the normal abilities they all had.

EggRobo watched from the headquarters standing tall about five miles from the coast where they had begun their assault. He tightened his grip on his plasma cannon and called up a platoon of Egg Pawns.

"Gamma squad!" He called. The green pawns stood at attention. "Attack them head on! Epsilon Squad! Separate and flank them! I want them skewered to pieces."

The Egg Pawns easily accepted orders and repelled down the high rounded building. EggRobo watched again as the force was continuously moving closer to the interior.

"That's it... Come closer to the middle, it's nice and cozy there." EggRobo bided his time.

SWATbots were flying everywhere, most unable to even get a shot off while Silver controlled most of them to fall or crash into one another. Blaze was her namesake and started many flames upon the chasses of several robots. Flash fires melted the cheap soldiers in a matter of seconds. Antoine protected the rear with his sword, sending away the shots that did somehow enter. Bunnie was side by side with her man providing an energy shield while firing bullets at all who opposed. The rest stood in formation in the center while the outer four protected them while rotating. They did this since the start of the siege and the way things were shaping up the formation was designed for surrounded combat.

Sally had masterminded yet another battle strategy. The ones in the middle could takeover when their partners job is done. The attacking four had no plans of stopping however, this mission was all to important to just stop and take a break. The SWATbots kept pouring in and the fighters kept taking them out. Constantly in cycle and on the move the SWATbots had no time to mount a proper assault. When the targets went high the machines were low. When they tried to cut off escape, they were sent retreating. When they decided just to throw all they could at them, they ended up losing over half of their ranks. The fighters for freedom had an unwavering resolve this time and it showed. Without their powers this battle would have gone the complete reverse with the SWATbots calling all the shots.. Without Silver and Blaze the tide wouldn't have turned in their favor at all.

The twelve reach the center of Megaopolis and spotted the launch base on the skyline. The area was free of SWATbots for the moment and the group took a very brief rest.

"Someone let Sally know we made it to the checkpoint." Knuckles commanded.

"On it." Vector tapped on his device.

"We really appreciate the support you two." Amy said, notching her hammer on her shoulder.

Silver smiled and bowed as did Blaze.

"We're not done yet." Silver clinched his fist.

"He is correct. This is only a start." Blaze nodded.

"Then I guess we better finish what we done started then." Bunnie said, loading another clip in her arm.

Espio appeared from camouflage beside Knuckles. "We've got Egg Pawns, just like Sonic described."

"EggRobo is making his move my king." Mighty stepped forward.

"What's the next move?" Charmy zipped up.

"We are to be going into formation I am believing." Antoine gestured to the paths.

"Everyone into their groups! Speed types out front!" Mina exclaimed.

The twelve got into groups of three with Blaze leading Antoine and Bunnie. Group two were Mighty, Espio, and Charmy while group three was Mina, Knuckles, and Vector. The final group was Amy, Silver, and Cream.

"I just want all of you to know..." Cream announced. "I love each and everyone of you and there's no place I'd rather be than right here with you all."

Everyone smiled, it was such a heartwarming notion from the rabbit in the midst of an inclement battle. The teams were going to do what they did best and fight the oppression that was the Robotnik Regime. Freedom Fighters and Chaotix united in the fight with the time traveling pair.

Suddenly an Egg Pawn poked from around a tower and pointed his hand at the intruders below. Several pawns appeared in the towers and streets below baring huge guns and cannons. The teams forward progress was deadlocked with these enhanced pawn machines. The Freedom Fighters looked on with absolute confidence as more robots flanked them from behind. The exits were effectively cut off and escape had minimal chance against these bots. It wasn't long when EggRobo came floating down in the Egg Mobile baring his huge plasma cannon.

"Caught like the vermin you are!" he gravely stated.

"Anytime you're ready Vector." Espio whispered.

"Little closer..." the croc smiled.

"We're not done yet EggRobo!" Knuckles bared a fist at him. "We won't go down without a fight!"

"By all means start your battle then!" EggRobo lifted up his free hand. "Let's see how far you get."

Amy smirked. "You asked for it..."

Vector hit the button on his device and an explosion rocked the towers and buildings. Espio had quickly placed charges all along the area and the result was complete annihilation of the machines. The area was in blazes by the time EggRobo could clear his line of sight. He started scanning for life forms but none remained. He widened his scope and spotted several objects moving at high speeds.

"They planned to get caught!" EggRobo slammed his hand on the dashboard and radioed his troops. "They've split up! All units engage! All units engage!"

Four teams of three blasted off in eastern directions. The explosion was a distraction but it bought enough time to hightail themselves out of there along with destroying a decent-sized platoon. Egg Pawns rallied to the skies as SWATbots played catch-up from behind. EggRobo checked the laser casings in his gun and his plasma charges. He soared down to the ground and hopped from his mobile machine.

"I should have known." the general aimed his gun west. "I used the same tactic on them. Whatever happens next I'm ready for it."

He sat alone in the scraped remains of central Megaopolis and awaited the next move. Meanwhile the four groups speeding along the eastern paths started to break apart in their formation. Silver and Blaze leading their groups lead them north and south with Knuckles and Mighty leading their groups more northeast and southeast. Millions of Egg Pawns were roaming the skies in siege of the intruders. The SWATbots were all but useless traveling on foot. The Egg Pawns rode in jet packs or by hovercraft all bearing artillery grade weapons trying to hunt down the speedsters. Each group had a power player to protect them as they ran while the speedsters drafted them into high velocity alongside a support player who could assist either one. The further they got into their direction the more pawns separated from the huge cloud.

This point was critical.

Sally, Shadow, Rouge, and Sonic were on the very edge of the remaining Emerald Coast. Megaopolis and the oceans around it would become a wasteland soon filled with pollution. The only thing to stop that downfall were the Freedom Fighters. Sally put away her Lynx device and adjusted the hair from her eyes. She knew what had to be done and she knew the risks. Keeping Sonic alive was her main concern; if he could get to the shuttle then she had clear faith in his abilities. She looked to the others to make sure they were on board.

Rouge caught eyes with the princess and winked. She had been in these situations were the balance hangs on a glimmer of hope. She was, after all, an agent for the incomparable G.U.N., which was absorbed into Megaopolis. She couldn't help but find it ironic to be with these great people after spying on them for so long. She felt attatchment to each one of them even if they didn't always like her way of doing things. Rouge had been dependable and strong and came through when it really mattered. Now with this invasion scheme they could use all the power they could get. Rouge nodded to Sally and she turned to her partner Shadow.

He sat on a metal container with eyes closed and folded arms. His kinetic abilities lost in Project: Doomsday, he could still channel his vast amounts of Chaos Energy. Shadow was indeed a force to still be reckoned with - and he was good guy now. No more dirty deeds or betrayal now, since he figured out what it means to hold a true friendship: with Sonic, with Nate Morgan, with Omega. Even Rouge cared for him, even binding up his furious sorrow while risking her life to save him. He knew what he meant to her and in the end he could see her willingness to see a job through to the end, after all, she was assigned to keep him in check. Shadow opened his eyes and saw the blue blur standing before the entrance into Megaopolis.

Sonic was calm, standing statuesque at the city limits. His demeanor, shaken at times, but he had never been fully broken. He always kept moving forward, always stayed positive, always finding the good in the predicaments. This time was no different. Sonic, in foresight, thinks the Ultimate Annihilator will be defeated, Robotnik will be captured, and the danger reduced to zero. Knothole and Angel Island, having survived the conquest will live on in unknown peace trying to tackle much more mundane things. Sonic knew living too far in the future put your present at risk. In the case of Silver and Blaze they're trying to relive their past.

Sonic considered the questions: Why did Silver and Blaze come to this time? What were they trying to prevent? Why not go back and stop Robotnik in the beginning? Who were they trying to save? Was he a grandfather to Silver?

Sonic shook his head.

He dwelt too much on the weighty things and besides, that was more of Sally's field. For now he concentrated on the mission at hand. His friends were in Megaopolis sustaining the ongoing battle. He could hear the clanging of the robots and see the pinnacles of light from Blaze's fury. Sonic itched to go in there and make a mockery of the tin cans Robotnik mass produced. He was glad to warn them of the Egg Pawns and the durability they can withstand. For now all he could do is wait and watch for the signal.

Shadow approached Sonic and stood next to him on the front line. They both acknowledged each others presence but never strayed from their sight.

"Here it starts, or ends." Shadow started.

"Robotnik's going down." Sonic replied tersely.

"From what I heard the good doctor is a true despot in every sense of the word. How do you plan on ousting his villainy?"

"I don't really have one."

There was silence among them. The far off sounds of battle reverberating in an echo for the hedgehogs to hear.

"I suppose I should know you well enough that you trust your instinct, no matter how brash it is."

"What can I say, I'm just a guy along for the ride."

"Even if it means a ride into the great depths."

"You been to space once, you been to space a thousand times."

Shadow paused again. "I'm still trying to figure you out faker."

Sonic turned his way, smiling and rubbing his nose. "Nothin' to it."

"Rouge is too blinded by the sight of possessions, the princess worries entirely too much, me with my perfection and pessimism... We all have our flaws but you round each and everyone of us out to an extent that I can't even begin to fathom."

Shadow hands Sonic the emerald from his possession. Sonic gratefully accepts and begins to store it in his own Chaos Energy.

"Yeah that sounds like me."

"The arrogance is an issue though... Maybe that's why Tails left."

Sonic shot the black hedgehog a look.

Shadow didn't back down. "I know a thing or two about the darker side of life faker, you should count your blessings as they lay."

"Tails isn't like that."

Shadow started to turn away from Sonic. "Maybe we should ask the descendants, they're knowledge trumps even the good doctor's currently."

Shadow was almost out of Sonic's presence when the blur stopped him. "Shadow."

The black hedgehog turned to his blue counterpart. "If I can get you to become my good friend, how much more so for my little brother?"

Shadow chuckled and walked away. "I'm afraid Tails isn't so little anymore."

Sonic turned to face the city as the sounds of battle were quieter than normal. Sally leapt from her position alerting the other four. Sonic turned around and darted to her.

"What's up Sal?" Sonic asked.

"I just got word from Vector," Sally started. "They're in position."

"Well let's get this show on the road shall we?" Rouge landed near them.

"Rouge, stay close to me." Shadow directed. "You know how disregarding you can be in a fight."

"Aww thanks Shadow, I got your back too." Rouge overlooked his masked statement.

Sally hopped in Sonic's arms and planted a kiss on him so sweet. They lip locked for a good moment as Shadow cleared his throat.

"You two are just so cute together." Rouge batted her eyes at Sonic, "I'd hate for something to happen to Sally on this mission."

"Prepare yourselves." Shadow stated. Rouge fluttered away and into the arms of Shadow. The hedgehogs held onto the women as Sonic lined up behind Shadow.

"Make sure you keep up."

"Make sure you don't slow down."

The four of them saw a plume of fire and smoke on the horizon. The explosions had gone off and by now the groups would be off to the races. It was time for their four-man cell to hop to it. Shadow and Sonic, in complete synchronization darted off in each others footsteps. Shadow was drafting Sonic making him use less energy. The speeds they reach we're a perfect seven-hundred miles an hour. Another twenty miles an hour and they would break the sound barrier, effectively giving away their presence. The four of them easily whisked through several locations of Megaopolis. Weaving through scorched areas and fallen SWATbots the trials would get harder as they went deeper. The closed in on the explosion site as Sonic inches in even tighter to Shadow. His sharp blades nearly touched Sally in Sonic's grip. Sonic knew he could ride the drifts and be okay as Shadow did all of the work.

"Just like you said it'd be!" Rouge smiled.

The four of them closed in on EggRobo holding his plasma cannon toward their position. He spotted them from his radar and fired at will. Shadow dodged left and Sonic mimicked with ease. Shadow sidestepped to the right and Sonic acted as his shadow. A third volley came and Shadow went into ball mode ducking the shot. EggRobo missed his easiest chances as Shadow started to run circles around him. Sonic, in the midst of the encircling took the time to flee from EggRobo. As much he wanted to finally take out that wretched annoying machine the bigger prize lay in the launch base of Megaopolis.

Shadow and Rouge stopped their pursuit as they made sure their allies were far enough to get a good drive for the shuttle. The bat and the black hedgehog stood ready to fight as EggRobo took another perfect aim.

"Just more vermin!" EggRobo stated. "Prepare to die."

EggRobo jumped into his mobile and elevated a bit.

"You sent for the machine that destroyed my friend..." Shadow stated. "Seems like its only right to pay back what is owed. A life for a life."

"E-series robot number 123 was a traitor to his master. His death was a much deserved clipping of loose ends."

Rouge started to fade away in the shade as Shadow stepped forward. His fury building as EggRobo soared a little bit higher. The stealthy bat was going to fulfill her side of the mission and infiltrate the headquarters just a few buildings away.

"Of course it doesn't have to be a loose end." EggRobo lifted his cannon from its perch. Shadow was thrown off a bit. "I can give him back to you, just as you remembered him. But in return you will have to join me as an ally in the Robotnik Regime."

Shadow considered the option as Rouge watched from the recesses of the technology laced alley.

Meanwhile Sonic and Sally smoothly approached the launch base. They were close to the edge of Megaopolis with water surrounding the launch pad and huge barrier walls to send heat and fire up and over the area. There was a single path on the other side of where a few transports could traverse. Sonic and Sally didn't waste any time and sped around the outskirts of the launch base. They got to the entrance and barely got out from being run over by a convoy. Sonic and Sally darted back into hiding as a three barge convoy led by Doctor Robotnik's blood red hovercraft. The train of transports paused as Sonic turned to his woman. She was on the lynx tapping several times.

"Now or never Sal." Sonic stated.

"Sonic no." Sally grabbed him. "Rouge hasn't shut down the life form scanners in that tunnel yet."

"We can't wait for that." Sonic started to go. "I can't run across the water because the barriers are too tall. This is the only thing I can think of right now."

"Not necessarily." Sally smirked. "We can use the tunnel itself. We can bypass all the proper entry stations and go in through the air ducts."

Sonic smiled. "Just like old times."

The hovercraft and barges cleared the entry points and went into the tunnel for the life form scanners. Security fields raised at the entrance to section off the convoy. Sally pointed up to the technological tunnel's highest arc and Sonic picked her up. The security field was still there sealing off the entry as the hedgehog landed at the top. The roof was pretty much a straightaway leading to the steaming rocket. There was a shuttle attachment to the orange fueled and three sided rockets. It was held up by red scaffolding towering to the top. Sonic held Sally a little tighter and blasted across the roof.

They got to the end which was capped to a sloping roof heading into the ground. Sally pointed and Sonic shuffled for the air intake. Sonic leapt onto the grate and smashed it open with a homing attack. He dropped in and felt the breezes, feeling like he had his powers back for the moment. Sally dropped right into the hedgehog's arms. He set her down and started checking the grates. He could see the convoy progressing toward the edge. They got to the end of the duct and saw Robotnik's hovercraft descend into an underground tunnel. The three barges followed as Sonic nodded to Sally. They burst through the grate and dropped on the last barge as a blast door sealed over the exit. Sonic and Sally smiled.

They were in the complex.

They traveled a short distance and watched Robotnik park his craft. The three barges kept going however, continuing to be supplies for the voyage up into the stars. Sonic and Sally watched as Robotnik shuffled out his vehicle and whisked his overcoat around his body. He looked like a shadow save for the bald head and flurried mustache. He nearly turned around and spotted them before the barges shifted into a tunnel of their own. They picked up speed and dashed past many control rooms. There were Robians manning stations monitoring the ship being slated for takeoff.

"This is what they were doing." Sally said with fear.

"Building Robuttnik's flight outta here." Sonic finished.

The stations quickly whisked away as they traveled the smooth track toward the ship. They were going to be right where they needed to be. Sonic threw Sally a thumbs up as the barges neared the shuttle. In a matter of minutes, handy claw machines shoved the supplies into the cargo bay of the red and black shuttle. All of the containers were hanging by huge magnets to go along with the vertically upright shuttle. Sonic and Sally took the time to relax and clam themselves before the next coming ordeal. With all of the commotion in Megaopolis, Robotnik would know something was up. He knew exactly how smart Sally was and how bold the Freedom Fighters were. Still, it didn't mean he couldn't plan for it. Robotnik was in fact a master genius, even if eccentric at times.

"Sonic." Sally said. "I love you."

"I love you too Sal." Sonic kissed her.

"I want you to know if anything happens to you or me-"

"Stop."

Sally paused and started to get tear-eyed. "Sonic!"

"I'm not gonna talk to you like this... Like we're heading for our doom or something."

"I'm worried about you, about your life! He took away your powers! He's going to try and kill you!"

Sonic looked into her eyes and a burning fire was behind them. Sonic knew the risk more than anyone else and he had been struggling with this ever since he learned the Ultimate Annihilator was functioning again. He held Sally's hands and squeezed them just a bit.

"I know Sally." Sonic stated, serious for the first time in his life. "I know. And I wish you weren't here with me."

Sally started to question.

"In the past I relied on Tails to get me out. Tails was always the one to make sure I was okay. Tails had been there for me... every time! With you here, the stakes this high it almost doesn't feel right."

"Sonic."

"I'm sorry Sal, but I want you to do what you need and take an escape pod out of here."

"Sonic don't be so selfish! I'm here with you!" Sally urged.

The shuttle started rumbling.

"T-minus two minutes and counting." said a monotone robotic voice. They could hear the workings of the tunnels above them. Robotnik was moving into place and the launch base would soon erupt in blazing glory. After a long minute, the red scaffolding started to shift and the entry platform started to sway from the rocket. Smoke and steam billowed from the bottom as many locks and retainers started releasing.

Robotnik sat comfy in his single chaired bridge tinkering with instruments and gauges. He was calm and collected amid the intensity of a shuttle ride. He watched the countdown hit fifteen and started smiling. He knew this was the beginning of the end for the Freedom Fighters and the start of something monumental for Mobius.

The Robians at mission control shouted in joy as the announcement of liftoff notified the crew. Robotnik chuckled describing the actions as the countdown hit zero.

"And a mighty spear of light and fire soared into the sky..."

The rocket lifted into the sky breaking the sound barrier in seconds and rising high into the upper atmospheres.

"And Mobius will shake and it will tremble from God's ascent. And there will be fear, and there will be panic, and all bedlam will break loose."

Mobius did feel the earthquakes the rocket left behind. Aftershocks rippled throughout the planet causing Knothole to be on alert for an inclement disaster.

"And then a calm shall pass over the land, making false peace appear for one final time."

The rocket broke from Mobius' atmosphere and hung in the state of no gravity. Quickly the tanker and the rockets detached while the shuttle detached itself and fired up its thrusters. The once vital boosters were now debris orbiting Mobius - another important area for Robotnik to pollute. The shuttle rocked a bit then smoothly glided forward - most likely headed for the satellite. Sonic and Sally came from hiding among the seven cargo containers and managed to find a porthole. Mobius looked glorious from this height with the blue of the ocean and the green countryside and the white clouds swirling all over. Then they took into account the most noticeable feature. The looming shadow of pollution called Robotropolis which took up the rest of the glory. Sonic and Sally look to each other and head for the nearest door.

The mission to save the world was on.

Robotnik continued. "The final hour is upon us! When the hammer of god shall strike from the heavens the lowly ones to the point of sheer, blatant, unforgivable, irrefutable..."

Robotnik chuckled, then giggles, then all out belted maniacal laughs. He was moved to tears struggling to take in air as he found the situation hilarious. He gripped his chair and rocked back and forth letting out screams of laughter. Robotnik started turning red as he coughed to gather more air; his insanity powering the cackles while the ship approached the massive satellite space station.

Robotnik ceased his laughter. All hilarity gone from his face as his blackened corneas and red pupils centered on the destination. "Ultimate Annihilation."

**Didn't think I would be able to update this week but fortunately I did. I'm on vacation in California so shout out to all my west coast fans. There is FINALLY art up o givannivan so check that out. Leave reviews and feedback, anything is greatly appreciated. See you next week! Up over and gone! **


	49. Endgame

The door slid open and Sonic gave Sally an assuring nod.

The two were on irreconcilable differences for the time being. Sonic didn't feel comfortable with her backing him up. He had stated that Tails was his go-to-guy in times past, and even though things had changed he felt it was best to stick to tradition. Sally's presence alone was worry-some and sure she was great with technology and hacking but physically she wasn't the type to run headlong into a fight.

Especially with Eggman.

Both of them knew the risk. Like last time, when Robotnik had these two cornered with a laser rifle. Sally suffered an injury because of Sonic's lack of control. How differently things would have turned out if anyone else was there. Sally didn't pry anymore nor did Sonic argue but the two still wanted to shove reasons in each other's faces.

"I'll do what you ask Sonic Hedgehog." Sally posted a hand on her hip. "I ask so much of you anyway, it's about time I pulled my weight."

Sonic smiled and approached her. "You always were the strongest of the two of us."

He kissed her one last time caressing her hair and feeling her hips. "Well besides me anyway."

Sally playfully pushed him away. "You just go save the world."

Sonic saluted and darted off down the path of the hallway. He picked up speed hitting a cargo rail and blasting out into space. He grinded up a network of rails passing other small cargo boxes.

The satellite was huge with a massive stack of large disk-like rings extending up a tower with horizontal skyscrapers jutting out at all angles jutting to the bridge at the apex. There were several grinding rails attached to the lower section for cargo and relaying power. The largest part of the satellite was the base where ships would dock and the generator array for firing the weapon. It spoked-out in twelve rails with reflective webbing. Sonic couldn't see the underside of the weapon but he assumed whatever it was it was pointing down.

Sonic hit a curve on the rail going at a great speed. The area around the satellite was oxygenated probably due to how close they were to the atmosphere. It reminded him of the first time he went to the Death Egg and took out Robotnik in the atmosphere's rim. Sonic was caught off-guard and had to switch rails immediately. The green and yellow rails were twisting and looping as Sonic kept balanced at four-hundred miles an hour. The gravity was light meaning Sonic could over-leap his mark but it didn't worry him.

Sonic took to a ramp and flew off the rail. He spun a few times and landed in an auxiliary hangar. Egg Pawns spotted him and started to rush for him. Sonic leapt up and vaulted a homing attack. The pawns bounced away but rolled up to their upright position. Sonic landed and saw the path clear. He charged a spin dash and fired to arch down into mechanical level. He saw nothing but machines and generators for the massive satellite and couldn't see a safe enough path to traverse. Sonic veered right and ran along the curved walls keeping speed up and looking down to see the machines.

Sonic gathered his attention back in front of him and nearly slammed into a bed of spikes. Sonic jumped and slammed into a bumper, which sent him into the opposing wall. Sonic ran along it, smiling with confidence. The rush of the stage was making him feel like a kid again. The wall curved right and there was nothing but spikes along the wall. Sonic drifted and aimed downward toward the shiny webbing where he spotted a row of bumpers. Sonic went into ball mode, picking up even more speed and knocked against the bumpers. Sonic landed on the webbing keeping his speed up as he spotted nothing but bombs placed in key locations. Sonic stepped right evading the first one when a second was in its wake. Sonic stepped back to the right and successfully dodged again.

There were plenty more bombs on the webbing as Sonic continued his mad dash. Flying Egg Pawns armed with small laser rifles started to soar above Sonic getting ready to fire. Sonic had just cleared the bomb field when the pawns started firing. Sonic used the same side step maneuver to dodge the assault. The Egg Pawns kept shooting getting closer and closer each time. The blue blur was almost out of tricks when he slammed into a Robotnik Spring. The vault sent him backward as the Egg Pawns soared forward. Sonic smirked and leapt over the spring and started chasing the pawns. Systematically, he took them out as they tried to flee from danger.

When the pawns were taken down Sonic saw six of the twelve panel webbings descend to angle towards Mobius. Sonic jumped down to the webbings and noticed there were grind rails at the very ends of the panels. Sonic ran towards them and leapt. He successfully landed and took off encircling the cannon. He could see the twelve rails all spiraling toward the center where six spires aimed down towards the planet. Sonic crouched picking up more speed as he zoomed closer to the spires. The two rails dead-ended at the spires when Sonic took his cue and leapt from the rail. He landed on a jump pad and spotted the next one on the adjacent spire. He leapt up about ten pads until he collided with a spring.

Sonic soared for the shaft of the cannon. He was dashing right for a trap; he could see the down the infinite barrel of the annihilator as quickly as he passed it by. Sonic hit a weaker spring and landed on a platform. Sonic looked around and noticed he wasn't in the exact barrel but the heat shield around. Many Egg Pawns were stationed to guard the ascending platforms. Sonic looked up and noticed the long way. He realized he didn't have time to spare and continued. Sonic spiraled up the platforms knocking back pawns to fall to their doom below. Sonic took to the spiral ladder-like platforms until he reached a tube. He opened the hatch and zoomed through the tube which took him up faster than the platforms. Sonic ran through a short series of platforms and found the second tube, which was even longer than the first. Sonic figured out the speed puzzle and trekked the next set of platforms. Sonic searched for the tube but found an even faster travel.

Sonic spun dashed and blasted through a set of accelerators - eight spinning rubber wheels designed to instantly fire off the hedgehog to maximum speed. Sonic darted up the cannon's heat shield as the speakers turned on and the monotone voice of the computer moderators chimed in: "Ultimate Annihilator activation sequence initiated."

Sonic felt the cannon vibrate as he crossed into a service deck. The heat shield started to shift and this massive chamber unlocked and telescoped outward. The platforms way down below were thrown from suspension and sent down to the gravity of the planet. Sonic let out a sigh of relief and wiped his brow. He barely made it out of that one. Still he knew he didn't have much time and the thoughts in the back of his head didn't help. Sonic darted up the interior of the first disk-like level. He could view the edges of the planet through the wide windows as he round the huge spiral of the level. The layout was plush and luxurious and many hand-detail things had been added. Either the Robian workers had outdone themselves or Robotnik kept high standards. Sonic finally came around the last bend to an elevator. He quickly stepped in as the doors sealed him.

"So glad you could make it... rodent!" Robotnik started off calm then exclaimed the last. Sonic turned around and viewed the little touch screen control panel.

"You were going to throw a party without me Buttnik!" Sonic smirked. "You know I am the life of these things."

Robotnik grinded his teeth. "This is supposed to be a realm of god and your presence here isn't up to par."

"If it's a realm of god then what are you doing here? Just cleaning up? I didn't know you were the maid!"

Robotnik clinched the camera in fury. "Shut up! You insolent beast of burden, I'll show you why I'm here..."

The video shut off while Sonic rubbed the underside of his nose. He had done what he did best - turned the egg man's words against him. The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Sonic quickly stepped out and looked around. The room was excessively huge with plain grey electronic panels everywhere. The floor was in a grid pattern with little black holes and the ceiling was in shade save for the single light coming from above. Sonic jogged to the center trying to get a sense of the way out.

Robotnik's maniacal cackles filled the room with reverberation and chorus. Sonic stood rubbing his nose and tapping his foot.

"You've fallen right into my trap hedgehog!" Robotnik started. "I knew you couldn't resist my flight into space. The only thing that concerned me were the worthless little pets you call friends. EggRobo will take care of them, so I am not concerned."

Sonic still held his current posture.

"Does it depress you, rodent, that I'm about to destroy everything you ever loved? Everything you ever held so dear and so precious to that pathetic spine-laced head of yours? You sicken me hedgehog, all your determination, all your arrogance will be done away with in just a few short moments."

Sonic took his hand from rubbing his nose and looked at his hand, checking for residue.

"Look at me!" Robotnik screamed a demonic bellow. "I will not be ignored in my own realm. You cannot even begin to take into account all of the planning, all of the production, all of the meaningless lives I've taken just confront you at this moment! I planned on you to be begging, to be clinging, willing to sacrifice everything in your measly little power and finally admit me as your god, me as your one true savior!...

"Yet... Here you are, casual and meek. You upset me hedgehog! I thought you were going to be a challenge to me on this day, at this hour. I held you in high esteem, the only one to come the closest to besting me. I thought of you as something to consider respecting. I held you, the rodent that you are, on a pedestal all your own. And now you disappoint me! Well for this act you will die. It's not like you had an option, you were going to die anyway."

The platforms on the rim of the room started to fall as Sonic finally came to attention. The platforms kept falling until only nine were left in a square pattern. Sonic darted to the edge and saw nothing but darkness. Mostly likely there were nothing but spikes down there or hedgehog-eating piranha. Sonic turned around and saw a shadow descend onto the platform. Sonic started to clinch up as he recognized the machine before him. Sonic got into his fighting stance as Robotnik cackled from the cockpit.

"You remember this little toy don't you Sonic?" Robotnik grinned. He armed the controls as the grapnels locked onto Sonic's position. Robotnik was in his Egg Mobile with attachments to make this fearsome machine. There was a cap of spikes on the top and plating armor going around the sides and back. It would seem Robotnik had locked himself in a huge piece of armor except for the last two pieces. Extending from both sides of the mobile flying machine were two arms laced with spikes and claws acting as hands. They opened toward Sonic wishing to capture him.

Robotnik started to brag. "The Big Arm Mobile is so much a stroke of genius that I couldn't help but create it again, with a few twists of course."

Sonic countered. "You think you can still stop a veteran with the same old tricks Robuttnik? I thought you could have come up with something better than this!"

"Better!?" Robotnik gripped the controls. "I'll show you better rodent!"

The room went dark after that and the only illumination were two very small lights on the side of Robotnik's weapon. They faded out as two more faded in on the other side of the room. As soon as that one shut off another set of two came on. Robotnik was using a ploy of lights to mask his presence. And the Big Arm was completely silent, intended for the reason of assassination. Sonic decided to run around the square platform trying to gather a strategy before he attacked or was attacked.

Robotnik started to laugh lightly as Sonic stood still for a second. The laughs got stronger and stronger until the single bright light up top flashed on Sonic was in the grasp of the pair of grapnels. Robotnik maniacally laughed as he lifted his machine into the air. Sonic was stuck in ball mode within the grasp of the claws.

"Have a nice trip hedgehog! See you next fall!"

Robotnik dropped his machine to the platforms, hands first and watched with joy as Sonic slammed into the steel platforms. Robotnik retreated into the air as he viewed Sonic bouncing across the flooring. Sonic was dazed and the shot hurt his entire body. He tried to get up the first time but fell right back to his knees.

"You don't get any rest!" Robotnik screamed, coming in for another approach. Sonic tried to run off but to his own vision, it looked like there were five or six machines coming at him. Robotnik succeeded in the second grasp and lifted into the air again.

"Let's try out a few tricks shall we."

Electricity surged through the hands waking Sonic up with the painful arcs. Robotnik laughed with so much glee, finally being able to give this rodent an extermination he'd been waiting for. Sonic was smoking from the jolts and Robotnik started the sequence again. He descended toward the platforms arms first and slammed the hands into the floor.

"Take that hedgehog! W-what?"

Robotnik searched for a spell but realized Sonic wasn't anywhere on the field. As soon as he started to question it the blue blur emerged from a Chaos Control and slammed into the front view of the cockpit. Chaos Energy and the force of such speed not only cracked the vehicles glass but sent it on a path of malfunctioning. Robotnik and his Big Arm Mobile fleeced back as Sonic landed holding his chest. The electricity was making his heart go nearly haywire but he was starting to calm down.

"Seems like you have a few tricks of your own." Robotnik said unimpressed. The main spotlight from above went out and the deception of the darkness trick was being used again. Sonic took what little time he had to rest while he clued in on Robotnik's laughs. Each time he laughed more sinister, the closer it sounded. Sonic focused, no matter how creepy it was even closing his eyes when the laughs escalated. The light flashed on and the Big Arm Mobile clasped its own hand. Sonic had leapt above the grip of the claws spinning to maximum rotation. A powerful succession of homing attacks ripped into the cockpit of the machine. Systems inside were going haywire and the equipment failing. After the deafening blows of the homing attacks Sonic landed on his feet watching the Big Arm Mobile shift side to side going down over the side of the platforms. Sonic smirked and held his head as he heard a cannon-like noise then the explosion of the Big Arm. Sonic ran to the edge and peered down into the darkness below.

"Aww yeah! That's what I'm talkin' about!" Sonic celebrated. "That's one Eggman over easy!"

Sonic leaned on the short railing of the exterior platforms and began to try and figure a way out of here. He wondered if Sally was okay doing her part aboard the satellite. He was anxious about her becoming more worried of her than his own safety. Sonic started to get that sinking feeling, as if falling through the air. Robotnik had really done a number on him but he wouldn't let it get him down. Sonic realized it wasn't a feeling but he was actually falling. He sprang into action and leapt off the platform to the higher ones. He barely grabbed the edge with only a few fingers and swung his other arm up to grab hold. He didn't realize but his left arm was hurting as well. Sonic got upright on the platform and let out a sigh.

"Don't you know me by now Sonic, I don't go down without a fight!" Robotnik cackled.

He wasn't surprised by the fact that Robotnik had survived. He'd cheated death so many times it was getting ridiculous. Sonic noticed the platforms of nine were down to three making it a row for him stand on. He decided to act now and expend an 'extra life' which were getting extremely low. Knowing Robotnik, this next machine would be far better suited to take on an ailing Sonic. The way he prepared the satellite and the Big Arm Mobile was to tire out his opponent. Robotnik had planned things from the very start making this even more diabolical.

Sonic heard the rumblings of a machine now as several spotlights from above activated. This next machine was not quiet, giving off quite a nice hum and emitting exhaust and fumes. Slowly the blood red machine rose in front of the blue hedgehog. It was another armored attachment to the Egg Mobile with three huge spiked metal shutters on the sides and top. Acting as shields on the side of the machine were giant bumpers rotating with spikes on the edges. Out of the back of the mobile was a long spiked tail with a cannon on its end. The shutters opened up revealing cozy Robotnik inside manning the controls.

"Now that you've used up all your tricks on the first machine I'll have even more fun dismantling you this round. My Egg Viper is built especially for you! You won't even lay a finger on me this time."

"I'll make you eat those words." Sonic smirked. Robotnik cringed at this rodents arrogance, his anger boiling higher and higher.

The Egg Viper soared to the ceiling and started performing the serpentine. Sonic watched the machine trying to find exactly how to get to the weak spot. Sonic took a few steps forward ready to leap when the Egg Viper fired a succession of lasers. Sonic jumped back and retreated from the firing of about eight laser beams. Sonic was pushed to the edge as the viper came around again. Sonic dodged the next set of lasers and pushed to the other side.

"This all you got Robuttnik!"

"Not in the least."

The Egg Viper was on the opposing side opening up the shutters and charging up brilliant blue lasers. Sonic saw the blatant opening and started to dash for it. Sonic was airborne when the shutters closed and the Egg Viper took a quick flip and slapped Sonic with its spiked tail. The hedgehog was sent flying against the wall as the shutters opened and Robotnik cackled.

"Got you rodent!"

Sonic slammed against the wall regaining his balance. His whole body hurt with slashes going across his head, chest, and arms. Sonic slid down the wall and kicked his legs. He dashed across the wide curving walls and leapt for the platforms. Sonic sailed toward the landing as Robotnik laughed.

The little black holes in the platforms illuminated and out shot fire. Sonic had no choice and Chaos Controlled out of the air onto the wall again. The Egg Viper faced the hedgehog firing the lasers yet again as Sonic desperately took off. He was still faster than the blasts but he had to maintain his speed in order not to fall to the pit of darkness below. Robotnik soared to the middle of the room and opened the shutters, charging the blue laser yet again. Sonic sped up some more and spiraled around the room to the darkness up top. Robotnik lost sight of him; he even poked his fat greasy nose against the glass to see if he could spot him.

"Where'd he go?" the dictator asked.

Sonic speared from the ceiling, slamming into the Egg Viper with all the force he could muster. The malfunctions started to occur and just in Sonic's favor the flames on the platforms shut off. Sonic flipped through the air in recoil and landed back on the normal plane. Robotnik got his systems back to normal and turned to face Sonic.

"Stop doing that!"

Robotnik pressed a button on his console as the platforms broke apart and got into a triangle formation. They started rotating around the center of the room while flames shot up from the first panel. The second panel ignited and Sonic jumped to that panel as it shut off. In every second, the flames traveled to each platform, making Sonic a target in between jumps. It took too much concentration to dodge laser fire while trying to land on a safe floor. Robotnik would have his way with the blue hedgehog before long.

"I'm going to kill you Sonic! Yes! I'm going to murder you!"

Sonic took an alternate route and leapt back onto the wall picking up speed as he landed. Robotnik lost a bit of glee as he turned to his side and pulled a lever. The round spike wheels attached to the Egg Viper started to turn and float from off the machine. They turned horizontal and soared for the wall. The spike wheels started coming after Sonic, giving chase after the hog. One wheel was on him constantly while the second tried to smash him while going the opposing way. Sonic knew that if he stopped to fake them out then he would fall to his death below. If he aimed for the platforms, he could be crisped in a matter of seconds. The only option was to somehow make it past the obstacles and take down Robotnik.

The Egg Viper opened its armored shutters and started to charge the blue laser again. Robotnik knew Sonic didn't have enough time to mount an attack this time. Sonic recognized the spike wheels with a red spring in the center. The one chasing him was aimed down but the one trying to cut him off was aimed up. Sonic smirked and headed towards the bottom. Sonic made a wide swooping turn among the walls with the correct spike wheel following him. Robotnik had his massive weapon fully charged and fired the giant laser. Sonic leapt as the spike wheel tried to nick him. Sonic homed in on the spring, which sent him to the ceiling. The Egg Viper overloaded with power and had a brief moment of inactivity, which cost Robotnik dearly. Sonic slammed into the glass of the cockpit sending shards into the interior. The hero bounced from danger and onto the safe platforms. The Egg Viper slammed against the wall emitting smoke from distinct points of the machine.

"The yolks on you Eggman!" Sonic pulled down the bag under his eye and stuck out his tongue. "I beat ya once and I can beat ya again."

The Egg Viper raised back to its height with Doctor Robotnik huffing in complete anger. He was bleeding from multiple shards sticking from his chest, arms, and face.

"You weren't suppose to make it through that." Robotnik seethed. "You should be dead! I need to kill you! I need to win! It is my duty, my sworn obligation as God among Mobius to eliminate you, demon of velocity!"

Robotnik slammed his hands on his own dashboard.

"I will not be made a fool of by a rodent. You, hedgehog, are going to die."

The armored shutters closed as the platforms started to heat up. Sonic took the cue and leapt to the walls yet again. He rounded and dodged the spike wheels in which each spring was turned downward. Robotnik had gotten wise to his own mistakes. Laser fire tried to shroud the hero but he dove down to get underneath the rain of light. One spike wheel gave immediate chase to the hedgehog while the other stayed with Sonic trying to push him further down. The spring was trying to inch closer to shove him down. Robotnik was sure this installment was going to be very effective.

Above the spike wheels, Robotnik aimed the tail of his viper and launched decent sized black bombs attached to the walls. They were similar to the ones outside on the webbing of his Ultimate Annihilator. He set them all across the wall that way there was nothing his adversary could do. With the platforms on fire and the bombs set all he would have to do is wait for Sonic to make a mistake and blast him with the big laser.

The spikes, seeking dangerously close to Sonic, all of a sudden pulled away from Sonic and began hovering back up to Robotnik. Sonic didn't question the action and started his spiral ascent to the villain up top. Sonic passed the first bomb and sidestepped the next. Robotnik was up here planting bombs while he was distracted. Sonic dodged left and dodged right, even risking falling and jumping over a series. Sonic managed to catch a glimpse of the Egg Viper charging up before slamming into a bomb. The explosion wasn't fire but air, pushing Sonic away in massive force. The hedgehog spun out against the wall and slammed into a bomb behind him. More air shoved him off balance and nearly capsized him from the wall. Sonic had no choice and leapt off the wall and planted himself against the underside of the platforms. He managed to hang there for half second before leaping off and getting speed back under him.

Robotnik was nearly at full capacity for another blast and he knew this time he wouldn't miss. He watched the hedgehog curl upwards through the planted bombs and towards the Egg Viper. The light of the blue energy made Sonic rush even faster up toward the ceiling. Robotnik didn't hesitate and fired the blue laser. Sonic skidded up the wall and leapt for the deadly machine. The hot laser shot out going underneath the hedgehog. Robotnik could only watch as the blue devil approached spinning rapidly in a ball. Robotnik felt the full hit of Sonic's Spin Jump and was knocked back into the cockpit. Sonic put all he had into the leap and as a result he soared upwards from the recoil. The hero landed on the inactive platforms and watched as the Egg Viper sailed toward the walls uncontrollably. The machine slammed into the wall as fire shot from the red armor pieces. Sparks and shrapnel launched from the contact of the walls. It wasn't long until one of the shutters blew off, then the spike wheel, and half of the tail was dangling by a few bolts.

Sonic heard a deafening scream when the Egg Viper started to gain control and sail towards Sonic. The hedgehog easily leapt over and slammed Robotnik again with a homing attack. The viper bounced from the platform and slammed into the wall just beyond. The machine was in blazes now, fortunately resting against the platform that it just bounced from. Sonic smiled letting the adrenaline subside and pain return to his senses. He felt like posing - giving a thumbs up as celebratory music chimed in and scores racked up, but he knew it wasn't the time. He watched the Egg Viper burn as the last two shutters fell from the weapon. Robotnik was battered and bloody in the cockpit, mostly bleeding from his mouth and a few decent-sized slashes on his face. He looked at Sonic and felt anger yet again. He couldn't move like he wanted to and the pain was too much to be overlooked.

"How?" Robotnik asked, groaning as he talked. "Why won't you die?"

Sonic smirked and rubbed his nose. "Because freedom never dies."

Robotnik was furious but all he could muster was a weak sigh. "That's a very... superficial answer. I thought you had more than that, or is it I expect too much of you. Sonic, the yin to my yang, the day to my night, the ice to my fire, I fear I will never understand you - genius that I am."

"The Chaos Theory." Sonic chimed in.

"Yes! The Chaos Theory! You've studied its properties also?"

"I figured it out when one of my descendants came back in time to warn and help us with this plan. The only way I know he'd come back is because I'd do the same thing. He traveled through time and space to save his own future."

Robotnik seethed. "Chaos. There is no order anywhere in this world."

"Ultimate Annihilator targeting sequence initiated." the computers monotone voice chimed in.

"I didn't order that." Robotnik sat up, feeling energized all of a sudden.

Sonic started to think about Sally. How was she doing in her part of the mission?

"You didn't come alone!" Robotnik started to grin. "I may not understand you yet Sonic the Hedgehog but I do understand you hate when I kill your friends."

Robotnik and his Egg Mobile blasted into the air. Sonic was caught off guard as he watched Robotnik fly toward the ceiling. A circular hatch opened up and out flew the despot. Sonic couldn't waste a second and leapt for the wall. He dashed up toward the hatch as it started to close. Sonic felt gravity start to press on him from behind as he jumped and missed the hatch. Sonic slammed into the ceiling with more force than he anticipated. It felt to him like he was falling and further proof of that came when the platforms and the Egg Viper debris came tumbling down. Sonic dodge the raining steel planes as they slammed against the ceiling. Sonic couldn't run like he wanted to with the pressure bearing down on him with each second. He managed to fight his way over to the hatch again and noticed some of the weapons debris had knocked the hatch open. Sonic crawled to the door and tried to move it. The doors were slowly opening as Sonic looked through the hole and saw the barrel of the Ultimate Annihilator swiftly passing by. Sonic struggled a little more and opened enough of the hatch to squeeze through. Sonic got atop the room and took a quick glance at the surroundings. He was falling out the barrel of the gun toward the final array of the cannon. Sonic leapt and broke from the death room sliding on the smooth barrel. The room where the fight had occurred was a Shield Plug, designed to keep the workings of the cannon intact during the launch. Robotnik had a fail safe for every turn to try and eliminate the hero.

Sonic let out a huge sigh and spotted an elevator door nearly a hundred feet up. Sonic dashed around the spiral of the shaft and forcefully slammed into the elevator door. He homed in on the pulley he just so happened to see which lifted him up to an interior level of the huge disks lacing the outside of the satellite.

"Sal." Sonic said in a huff before blasting off to the figurative act two of this zone. He traveled up the winding disk building up massive amounts of speed. His own velocity started to push him to the edges of the huge rounded rooms. He sped into floor-mounted boosters giving him even more thrust. He rounded one of the last disks and smashed into a spring. He smashed through glass and out onto a horizontal skyscraper. He dropped into the wide open window. He dashed through the grey halls where many Robians were stationed to live. His heart went out to these many former citizens of Station Square but he couldn't save them, not with Robotnik heading toward his future wife. Sonic came to a dead end where platforms rose to each side of him. Sonic leapt to each one and eventually came up to a pulley.

It raised him to the outside level of this skyscraper where he saw a rail sending power to the second and higher skyscraper. Sonic homed in on the rail and sped along as fire and thunder shot from his destination. In a matter of seconds, the skyscraper was jettisoned from the satellite. Sonic realized he was heading toward infinite space and tried to slow down. He saw up ahead another rail connecting to the satellite so he hopped onto it. Sonic veered to the left and headed straight for a springboard. He launched up the satellite dodging columns until he rounded the underside of the bridge. Sonic flipped from the upside down ramp and landed on the highest series of skyscrapers. Sonic was going extremely too fast and at his rate he was going to fly off the edge. Sonic pressed down and tried to apply his own brakes. He started skidding and the light gravity didn't help. He was heading toward the edge as a platoon of Egg Pawns started soaring in from the right. Sonic smirked and jumped to home in on each one of them in a line. Sonic got enough arc to land on a grind rail and shred to the next skyscraper.

The monotone voice chimed in. "Ultimate Annihilator targeting complete. Charging."

Sonic paused and watched a runway emerge from the main door of the bridge. Sonic did not like the look of this. He jumped onto the runway and proceeded without caution. He got to the door as it slides upward letting in the guest of honor. Sonic jumped up the platform and into the hangar of the bridge. The Egg Mobile was parked arrogantly in the middle and empty of course. Sonic noticed Giant Egg Pawns lining the walls of the hangar. He didn't dwell too much on the robots as he started to look for Sally. The door behind him closed as lights on the stairs illuminated a quaint little path to an area above the main entrance. Sonic had to take the bait and ran up the steps. He came and faced the door, which slowly opened revealing the bright control room.

Sonic didn't like what he saw.

"So glad you could make it rodent." Doctor Ivo Robotnik stated, holding a laser rifle to the back of Sally's head. "Please make yourself at home."

Sally was on her knees, looking at Sonic with the fear that she'd never see him again. She started to brightly smile when she made eye contact even though the situation was less than joyous. The control room was huge with motherboards and switches everywhere before a huge sloping glass plane. The lights from the control panel were illuminating the room along with a few bands of light around the circular room. The floor had a huge symbolized face of Robotnik grinning, baring his white teeth as a black silhouette. Sonic reached for his woman in desperate need.

"Sal are you okay?" asked Sonic.

"I'm fine Sonic." Sally assured.

Sonic nodded. "Robotnik you monster! Let her go!"

"Compliments don't get you anywhere with me, rodent." Robotnik nudged Sally's head with the barrel of the rifle. "Even if you did an act of worship to me..."

"Kill yourself Robuttnik." Sonic spat. "I ain't doin' sh-"

"Language rodent! A god in my position must be cleansed of all foul play. What would your lady friend think?"

"What do you want Eggman?"

"You know what I want! Don't try and play this to your advantage? I have you by the gonads now! Who knew that all my struggle and planning would lead me to this glorious moment, holding Princess Sally as a hostage while Sonic the Hedgehog watches helplessly. Oh this is a dream turned reality."

Sonic tried to inch closer

"And don't try any funny business rodent. I'm well aware of what you and this rat can accomplish."

"Then you know we're going to succeed right."

"Hardly, the odds are-"

"Stacked against you Buttnik! Don't you know who I am. I'm Sonic the Hedgehog."

Robotnik started to grind his teeth. He looked as if a foul odor ran across his nose and the anger reached a boiling point. Robotnik lifted the rifle from off of Sally and started firing at the hedgehog. Sonic easily dashed and ran for Sally. He held out his hands ready to scoop her up when he slammed into a security field. Sonic bounced right off and tumbled backwards. Robotnik spurted and then laughed hysterically even forcing out a few snorts. He hopped up and down and wiped his face of blood and tears.

"Didn't see that coming did you hedgehog?" Robotnik cackled. "The security fields only work for me, I thought you'd figure that out by now."

"Sonic." Sally called. Robotnik shoved the rifle into her hair and forced her head forward. Robotnik stopped laughing and eyed the miserable hedgehog in front of him. He was powerless to do anything about the situation. And by the look of Sonic, he was tired. Sonic was battered and bloody from the ferocious battle they had below decks. Doctor Robotnik had taken full advantage of the moment which is what pushed him to his next move.

Robotnik pointed with his free hand to the controls. "Do it!"

Sonic spat. "Do what?"

"Pull the trigger."

"I'm not doin'-"

Robotnik slammed Sally with the laser rifle. He eagerly watched her fall over and readied his foot to kick her.

"Sally!" Sonic stepped forward.

Robotnik pointed to the controls again. "You see how you're numbers don't mean anything to me. You had all the might you could possibly have and I systematically broke you down to the miscreants and animals that you are... However..."

Sonic just stared at Sally who still gave a smile to her unofficial husband.

"I will let the both of you go, you have my word, if you get over to the controls and push the trigger on the greatest weapon this side of Mobius."

"Sonic don't do it." Sally creaked from the floor.

"Your lady is tougher than she looks." Robotnik reeled his foot back and kicked her repeatedly.

"Robotnik! Stop!" Sonic tried to hammer through the field. He dashed and homed and even spun into the field but nothing was happening. Robotnik grinned with so much joy.

"You know what I want rodent! Just pull the trigger and watch it all fall."

"Sonic..." Sally called.

The hedgehog knelt down wishing he could save her from the villain. Robotnik rolled his eyes and let the two have a final share of words.

"Sonic, don't do it."

"I can't lose you Sally."

The two shared a long stare wishing they could embrace each other one last time for comfort. Robotnik rolled his eyes and shoved the laser rifle into her temple.

"You can't win them all hedgehog." Robotnik grinned. "Eventually you lose some."

Sonic boiled with anger as his blue spines started to turn navy and his peach muzzle shifting to light orange. Black markings formed on his longer spines as his muscles started to bulge. The bright green of his eyes pooled with shaded viridian as he targeted Robotnik. The crippling purple aura surrounding him spread across the floor like water enveloping the foundation in seconds.

"Impossible..." Robotnik smirked. "Then again I'm not that surprised, agent of Chaos. I want you to hate me! Resent me! Rue the day you ever came to wits with Ivo!"

Robotnik cackled.

Dark Sonic slammed his hands into the security field as the rippling was stronger than any other time. Dark Sonic continued his dogged pursuit but Robotnik smiled and laughed with more tries. Dark Sonic focused on Sally as she watched in grave horror to see her man have to go through this twice. She could only wish for this to be easier on him. With herself in confines and the world on the brink of enslavement, she began to reach for the laser rifle and take action.

Dark Sonic's purple aura reverted to him as it flashed into a light green. Dark Sonic started to transform going from navy to light blue instantly. His wild spines dropped down reminiscent of Knuckles. He reached for the field and struggled to pass through it. Robotnik dropped the gun and started to shuffle back.

"Inconceivable!" he gasped.

Light Sonic fizzled through the security field as Sally eagerly watched him pass through. Light Sonic floated among the bridge as Robotnik wore the terrified and flabbergasted expression of defeat and misunderstanding.

"No! Impossible!" Robotnik climbed up onto his controls. "Stop! Please!"

Light Sonic curled into a ball as his green aura started going into ball form and returning to add power to the ghostly form of the hedgehog. Robotnik could feel the surges of Chaos for himself as the power built within his adversary. Sally watched with pride and joy knowing in the last stretch Sonic had come through. Robotnik darted from the controls in a slow sprint trying to head for the door. The security field dropped and Robotnik was heading for the middle of the room.

Light Sonic blasted off passing through Robotnik leaving the green aura as he did. He whisked through him again without relent as the aura grew brighter. Light Sonic phased through the dictator over one-hundred times in his blink-of-an-eye speed until the green aura was like a lamp for the entire room. Doctor Robotnik just floated into the air feeling paralysis and pain all at once. Light Sonic reentered beside Sally and lifted his right hand. He stretched it out and ultimately closed his fist. The green aura squeezed the dictator and lightning shot out from the target. Ivo dropped to the center of the room where his face was the emblem for the floor.

Immediately Light Sonic ceased and true blue fell to the floor.

Chaos Energy nearly drained from the hero, he quickly fell into the comfort of his fiancé, Sally. He was battered, tired and bruised but managed to give her a genuine smile and whisk through her hair.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She nodded. "I am now."

They both looked at Robotnik who was down for the count. The aura Light Sonic produced was a life-sapping energy drain. As of now, Robotnik would barely have enough energy to stand and wave hello. They could see him struggling to breathe on the floor as they took a relieved sigh.

"You did it, Sonic." Sally patted his shoulder.

"Looks like Mobius is going to know freedom after all." Sonic stated.

Robotnik coughed.

"You think you can take me out and still live in peace?" he asked, grinding as he talked. "There will be more - just, like, me; ready to give the world exactly what it needs - order."

"Whatever evil, Robuttnik, we'll put it down for good." Sonic stated.

"Another superficial answer, alternatively, how do you know that my way isn't good, you certainly have never tried it, what makes you judge, jury, executioner?"

Sally chimed in. "because there's morality in what we do."

"It's like the chicken and the egg discussion with you mongrels." Robotnik complained. "Nevertheless, I digress, because I am simply stalling capture."

"Stalling?" Sonic rubbed his nose. "Yeah right."

"You think you can capture me?" Robotnik laughed, coughing in between also. "Much less imprison me? I'd like to see you try."

Robotnik fell through the floor completely vanishing from sight.

Sonic and Sally paused for a moment trying to comprehend the situation.

"No!" Sonic dashed to the middle of the room. The symbol of Robotnik on the floor was only a mask, hiding the true nature of the hole.

"An escape hatch!" Sonic explained. He bounced on the hatch doors and they exploded open. He dropped in the hole and came right back out. He landed and shook his head.

"Security field?" Sally asked.

Sonic nodded and ran for the only door out.

"Ultimate Annihilator fully charged." the monotone computer announced. "Remote Access: Granted. Beginning Firing sequence. Two minutes to launch. Target: Knothole."

"No!" Sally scrambled to the keys.

The control room rocked with vibrations as Sonic dashed to the window. He watched as a giant Robotnik Mech flew out of the airspace of the satellite. Sonic recognized the swift machine and turned back for the door.

Sally was flustered. "He's completely locked out the controls here. I can't make any move."

"Can we stop the power." Sonic asked.

"There's no way you can get to the generators in time." Sally slammed her hands on the board. As a final tease the entry door opened up and the way out was clear. Sonic looked to the door, turning his back on his fiancé.

"If I get Robotnik back here, can you stop it."

Sally nodded. "I'll send him back to the stone age."

Sonic smirked and darted out the door. He left Sally in the dark, she had no clue how he was going to get Robotnik to come back. She followed him, rushing down the stairs and finally catching sight of Sonic standing in the doorway. He looked out into space. With tightened fists and hawk-like vision, Sonic jumped onto the runway and picked up speed. Sally kept Sonic in view as the blue blur started spurting yellow energy. Sonic started to flash yellow and white as a fiery aura engulfed him. By the time the hedgehog got to the end of the runway, Super Sonic took flight among the black of space. Sally approached the doorway and watched her hero go off into the longest minutes of his life.

Robotnik was in the speedy machine known as the Egg Bomber. It was originally used to escape the wreckage of the Death Egg and Hyper Sonic while holding the Master Emerald. This time with neither the almighty emerald or his robotic station of doom he still gave chase from the hedgehog. The Egg Bomber was a fifteen-foot tall mech with huge engines on its back. It was in exact likeness from the old days except with better mechanics. Robotnik aimed to get away, leaving Sonic and Sally helpless as their fair city is under the crosshairs.

Super Sonic easily caught up to the Egg Bomber and slammed into the engine. Rabid Chaotic Energy sent the engine into failure as the Egg Bomber flailed and spiraled. Explosive cartridges launched from the front of the mech and sailed back from their speed. Super Sonic ran into a flurry and the explosion sent him backward, tumbling through the abyss. A suitable gap appeared between the hero and the villain. Super Sonic knew he had no time for mistakes.

He darted through space and another flurry of bombs and slammed into the engine again. The Egg Bomber sprawled out of control releasing even more bombs than the previous times. Super Sonic ducked underneath the squall and kept even with the machine. Robotnik was showing off amazing piloting skills but couldn't shake the adversary in Super mode. Super Sonic landed on the head of the mech and pressed both hands onto the armor. He closed his eyes as the golden hue of his spines, and fiery aura blazed amid the darkness. Sally watched from the runway counting down the seconds with the Lynx device in her hand.

Super Sonic's emblazoned aura started to spread over the mech letting the machine go into failure from overload. Robotnik's muffled screams could be heard as Sonic concentrated on the roof. The aura completed its wrap as Super Sonic opened his eyes. The aura grew brighter and brighter as Super Sonic started to fade away.

"Chaos Control!" he yelled.

In a flash, the hedgehog and the despot were in a far away region of space then suddenly heading into the open bay underneath the bridge. Sally hid behind the entry door as the Egg Bomber skidded across the ground, rotating for its back and engines to slam against the giant Egg Pawns. Super Sonic floated down and ripped the cockpit open snatching the egg-shaped fiend into his grasp and tossed him away. Sally ran over to the cockpit and leapt in quickly tinkering with the controls. Super Sonic didn't take his eyes off of Ivo, staring down at him with crimson anger.

"No!" Robotnik whispered.

"It's over." Super Sonic floated over the dictator.

"Ultimate Annihilator launch sequence: cancelled. Repositioning to new target. Launch sequence initiated in one minute." the monotone voice stated.

Sally let out a sigh and leaned back in the chair. Super Sonic raised an arm and gave a thumb's up, still keeping an eye on Robotnik.

"It is so over." Sally sighed.

Super Sonic let his feet grace the floor as Robotnik fidgeted on the cold ground.

"No." Robotnik whispered. "No. No. No."

"Our freedom starts with your capture, Robotnik." Super Sonic smirked. "And you'll go down in the books as the biggest protestor of it all. Congratulations."

Super Sonic powered down to normal blue hedgehog as Robotnik flinched again.

"Sonic, I've targeted the Ultimate Annihilator for Robotropolis." Sally explained.

Robotnik giggled and Sonic caught it.

"No." Sonic shook his head.

"No?" Sally questioned. "This is Doctor Robotnik! The oppression for every single moment in our entire lives. We can destroy everything he's ever done with the pressing of a button."

Robotnik giggled again. "Where is your peace now?"

Sonic rubbed his nose and turned to face his fiancé. "I know Sal, I know. But using his own weapon won't make us peacemakers, but the opposite. Mobius is still filled with bad guys and then the hunt for the trigger will begin - starting with Knothole. The best thing we can do with this place is nothing at all."

Robotnik whispered. "No."

Sally begrudgingly understood. "I get it."

"I hate that hedgehog." Robotnik started to build from a whisper. "I hate that hedgehog. I hate that hedgehog. I hate that hedgehog. I hate that hedgehog. I hate that hedgehog! I hate that hedgehog! I hate that hedgehog! I HATE THAT HEDGEHOG!"

Robotnik gave out and slumped back on the ground, drool streaming from his mouth mixing with the blood of his wounds. He was stone-faced and in a daze but giggling at the same time. His body would jerk for a few moments then he would be statuesque. The genius of machinery and technology had finally succumbed to the abyss of lunacy. He teetered on the fine line for quite some time with the hedgehog pushing him to his brink.

Sonic smirked and rubbed his nose. He could finally rest after all this time.

"Nicole? Vector? Hello?" Sally called into her Lynx. "Anybody?"

Sonic looked at his woman briefly but then turned back to Robotnik. He didn't want any more funny business from the dictator.

"Hello?" Sally tried again. "You would think somebody would be home."

"Sally?" Nicole's voice rang from the device.

"Nicole!" Sally exclaimed. "It's great to hear your voice again."

Static interrupted the transmission but then reconnected.

"Sally! It is good to know you are safe. It looks like everything is in order."

"Everything went according to plan Nicole. Sonic has Robotnik in custody as we speak."

"Sonic has fulfilled his purpose?" asked Nicole as static built up after the latest word. "What… next… our… Knothole?"

"We must be out of orbit." Sally repeatedly pressed a few buttons before huffing. "Nicole Hold on! …It's no use I think I lost connection."

Sonic turned to the side with eyes still on the lumbering Robotnik. "I think it's time we reconnect with our friends anyway. Let's go home."

"Yes! Let's."

Sonic grabbed Sally's hand and they crept closer to the former dictator. He was out of it, with an expressionless face and eyes staring at nothing. The three Chaos Control from the bay to the hangar down below where the shuttle is parked. With Robotnik defeated and in captivity, the heroes would return to Mobius with victory on their shoulders. They had defied the so-called god and stopped The Reckoning from ever occurring.

The Freedom Fighters would reunite on the surface.


	50. God(S)End

The shuttle easily withstood reentry.

It broke several sound barriers as it cruised through the upper atmospheres of planet Mobius. Sally had lowered the heat shields when they started to pass through the thick smog. The pollution meant they were back in Robotropolis and in the soon-to-be last remnants of the Robotnik Regime. Sonic smirked as he sat comfortably in Robotnik's big oversized chair. Sally was at the controls flying the shuttle with ease as they broke the lowest thickest cloud of smog. The mechanical city was in their sights now as they sailed over it smoothly. Sally predestined a course for the Emerald Coast where they and the other Freedom Fighters would meet up.

Robotnik had not broken from his derailing after the defeat from his arch nemesis. He was in a storage compartment with hands tied behind his lumped back. The shuttle rocked amid a few turbulent breezes but it didn't halter them. The shuttle curved a few degrees and angled towards the peninsula where Megaopolis had been set up. The closer they got the more the shuttle angled down toward the water. They started to nose dive in the ocean when their engines briefly ignited and sent them up letting the back end be the first to fall. Small engines on the underside continuously fired letting the shuttle ease down into the water. They scuttled across the water as Sally jerked the controls, angling towards the beach. The shuttle bounced a few times but ultimately made a semi-smooth landing on the water's surface.

Sonic and Sally gave each other a look and high-fived. They rushed from the bridge and managed to roll former doctor Robotnik out of storage. They proceeded down the hall toward the entry plug and unsealed the first hatch. The round door opened, letting them in, and depressurized upon closing. The second hatch opens with a long yellow inflated tube springing out toward the beach below. Sonic shoved Robotnik down first and watched him roll down the tube. The sight was comical to say the least, seeing Robotnik's fat doughy body hit against the ground. Sonic gestured and bowed to his lady as she curtsied and leapt down the tube. She landed on the ground perfectly as she turned to look back at Sonic. He rubbed his nose and jumped onto the tube, which popped when his spines pierced the rubber. The bright yellow tubing deflated in seconds as Sonic rustled through the massive rubber tent. After a few long seconds, he emerged from the tubing and whisked his hands in the air.

"Sonic the Hedgehog, ladies and gentlemen." Sally presented to the crowd.

The Freedom Fighters cheered and hollered. Amy ran to them and gave them both strong hugs. Cream did the same adding kisses on the cheeks for the both of them. Knuckles and Shadow stayed where they simply nodding and smiling to show their appreciation. Antoine approached only to salute and deeply bow to them. Bunnie just jumped up and down with excitement. Even the Chaotix applauded next to their King as Silver and Blaze hung out behind Shadow. Sonic stepped forward and rubbed his nose in sheer accomplishment.

"You're too kind, too kind." Sonic settled them down. "But this wasn't just me this time. I relied on you my friends in the desperate times we all faced. We never would be here if we didn't work together in ending this great war. The Robotnik Regime will never harm another soul on this planet ever again."

Tears of joy were upon Antoine and Bunnie's faces. They had been in the fight an equal amount of time as Sonic and Sally. They couldn't help but be overjoyed and over-zealous about the outcome.

"And now peace can be restored to the world!" Sally smiled. "This is so exciting. I don't even know what to do with myself."

"A party!" Mina threw her hands in the air. "Knothole is gonna wanna celebrate after all."

"This has been a long time coming." Cream agreed.

"And in the meantime we can lock away the good doctor with a high-security cell." Shadow folded his arms. "Funny how ironic things have become, us taking away his freedom."

Sally shifted her eyes.

"Yeah well look at what he did with his freedom." Knuckles pointed to Megaopolis.

"If that doesn't scream enslavement then I don't know what does." Mighty stepped next to his king.

"Wha'd'ya'say we throw a party at Angel Island?" Charmy zipped in front of Knuckles.

Knuckles rolled his eyes.

"No point in askin' Charm..." Vector gestured. "He'd have to clear it with the old ball and chain."

"Yeah!" Rouge added. "You might as well take a permission slip Red."

Knuckles boiled with anger, clinching his massive fists and slamming them together. "You want a celebration then we'll get one!"

Knuckles stormed off heading for Amy.

"Yes!" Charmy pumped his hands.

Espio approached Shadow and Rouge trying to get out what he was trying to say.

"What's up, Espio?" asked Rouge. "Got something on your mind?"

He paused for a moment. "I... I just wanted to thank you for having protection of our king and not missing the mark."

Shadow and Rouge looked at each other. They knew it sounded hollow and they gave Espio a look, which translated as try again.

"Really... The Chaotix enjoyed your presence on our side and we'd like to let you know we'll be there for you whenever you need us - especially with the loss of a comrade."

Shadow stared at Espio and eventually nodded.

Rouge cleaned it up. "We might take you up on that then, handsome."

Espio chuckled and rejoined the others.

Sonic and Sally were approached by the outsiders, Silver and Blaze, who had looks of importance on their faces. Sonic and Sally smiled and hugged each of them.

"What will happen next?" asked Blaze.

"We will have Doctor Ivo Robotnik tried and imprisoned for countless years." Sally confidently stated.

"Well, it sounds like a good plan." Silver nipped at his nose. "But..."

"But what?" Sonic tapped his foot. "Robo-butt's gonna get what's comin'."

"No it is not that but if he escapes you could be right back where you started." Blaze stated.

Silver stepped forward. "The time where we are from, the original Robotnik doesn't exist."

"Sounds like a good time." Sonic rubbed his nose.

"It does, but wasn't." Silver eyed the blue hedgehog. "Me and Blaze live two-hundred years from now and the events that happened today didn't go as we just witnessed."

"Really? How did they proceed?" Sally asked.

Blaze explained. "The invasion you strategized, my princess, went according to plan but without the extra cover Silver and I provided you will have lost Amy, Charmy, Mina, Cream, Antoine and even Sally in the battle. The invasion force would deadlock with Robotnik's troops and would be stalled until the rocket launched. An hour later, The Ultimate Annihilator would fire and Knothole and Angel Island would be eradicated in the process."

"Survivors?"

"There would be a minimal amount, mostly children, while The Freedom Fighters would remain in Megaopolis. Angel Island was targeted next with an extreme amount of casualties. No one survived the blast. Those two acts alone caused the world to go into obedience. The Robotnik Regime conquered everyone in one fell swoop. Robotnik reigned supreme for thirty years, making cities in his likeness and enslaving all across Mobius.

"Survivors from Knothole had begun to make settlements constantly moving and staying small. They tried to fight but the risk of capture was far greater than before. For one-hundred years, guerilla warfare and survival were the tactics of the generations-past Freedom Fighters. While Robotnik ruled with tyranny, he came up with a way to extend his life, making clones of himself and living as the god he so wanted to be. It was true that I said Robotnik was dead because the artificial ones rule in his place. When Silver and I joined the ranks of the Freedom Fighters, we were utterly small and powerless. We had heard several stories regarding Freedom Fighters of all-times but none more revered than you all.

"We wanted to become you, in a sense and so we started digging. We came to the remains of Knothole and found Freedom HQ in salvageable ruins and there we learned of all your valiant efforts as the first generation of Freedom Fighters to have succeeded in guerrilla warfare. It's also there that we found the Chaos Emeralds, which had been fabled to disappear. We gathered them and returned to Silver's teacher and master, Mammoth Mogul.

"Mammoth Mogul, but-" Sonic interrupted. "Oh right, the immortality thing."

"You mean he turned to the side of reason also?" asked Sally.

Silver nodded. "He told me the bad things he used to do since this time and he regrets it all. The old pachyderm actually had the heart to help save us all by teaching me Chronos Control."

"Time travel." Sally surmised. "But why come back here."

"Believe us, once Silver mastered the trek across the hours our goal was to essentially stop Julian Kintobor before he ever took Mobius over. But we were stopped."

Sonic rubbed his nose. "Zonic."

Blaze went wide-eyed. "How did you know?"

"I had a hunch." Sonic tapped his foot.

"Zonic stopped us and told us what we were doing was the right way, ya know. But, the takeover of Mobotropolis had to happen and just like in every other world or dimension or... I don't know. The point is he wouldn't allow us to go and we tried to fight him for it!"

"He is far too strong for any of us, that fact remains." Blaze added. "Although embarrassed at ourselves, Zonic was kind enough to send us to this time so that we could stop our future from becoming the way it did."

Sonic shook his head. "Looks like Zonic was helping us out after all, I knew I could trust him. After all he's true blue like me anyway."

There was a brief moment of skepticism and doubt.

"What about the future now? With Robotnik in custody what should we do with him?" asked Sally.

"I was told we couldn't get rid of the rotten egg because it would send the multi-verses out of whack or something like it." Sonic stated.

"We have a solution." Blaze stepped forward. "Doctor Robotnik will come to the future with us."

Sally looked at Sonic who wore a puzzled look. He nodded to Sally and turned to the time traveling duo.

"Zonic requested that we do so." Blaze continued. "The basis of Robotnik in Mobius Prime has been established as well as a return. Zonic found a seam in the dimensions where Mobius can continue - freely."

"Of course!" Sally shook both of their hands. "Yes! Please."

"Make sure Robuttnik gets the best kind of cell there is." Sonic rubbed his nose.

"Don't worry gramps, we'll take care of 'em." Silver stated, nonchalantly.

"Gramps?" Sonic asked quizzically.

Shadow stepped forward and approached the four in conversation.

"Am I intruding?" asked Shadow.

"Yes." Sally nodded.

"Forgive me Princess but I have a request." Shadow stared through her.

"What is it now faker?" Sonic tapped his foot. "You wanna race me on Stardust Speedway too?"

Shadow ignored the comment. "I'm afraid I've grown too large for Knothole. With the hedgehog and the rest of the fighters I think it be best if I go somewhere I can be needed."

"Whoa, say it ain't so faker!" Sonic darted in front of him.

"It is as you think." Shadow lunged in front of Sonic's face. "I want to join King Knuckles and the Chaotix indefinitely."

Sally folded her arms. "Well look at you... So there is some good in you after all. Do as you please Shadow. The way I see it, you deserve your freedom just like anyone else."

Shadow chuckled while folding his arms. "There is a hitch to the arrangement though."

"Exactly." Rouge put her arms around Sonic and Sally. "Shadow is going to get into a whole mess of trouble and who better to bail him out than me, Rouge the Bat."

"I can think of a few people." Sally rolled her eyes.

"Rouge you're going too?" Sonic asked.

"Obviously!" Rouge squeezed Sonic's butt and walked between them. "I think I should be there to console Knuckles when he divorces that troll of a queen. And if ever your relationship is on the rocks I'll come flying back for you, hedgehog."

Rouge winked as Sally scoffed. "You're such a pleasure Rouge."

"I know." she hugged on stiff Shadow.

"If you think you can manage then by all means go." Sally gestured.

Sonic followed up. "Besides, Knuckles needs all the help with Doctor Infinity over there anyway."

"Finitevus." Sally corrected.

The teams all huddled together embracing the moments after the war. Finally getting ready to know freedom and all of the things it will provide. Sure they know there will be other villains trying to buy for the remaining power Robotnik had supplied, but they couldn't wait to quell them. Eventually freedom would reign supreme and the fighters would be the harbingers of peace.

Silver and Blaze mounted up first, gathering Robotnik in their possession. The old despot looked awful while sitting with snot, blood and tears dripping from his face. The fight with Sonic had driven him over the edge to the point of breaking his mental stability. Chaos now ruled his mind rather than his preferred order. He was still convulsing on the ground while Silver checked his handcuffs. Blaze turned to the ancestral crowd and deeply bowed.

"We are anxious to return to our own time, seeing as how we've altered the course of time in a better favor for all."

Silver added. "It's been nothing but an honor to be beside you and finally fight a battle that didn't turn into a loss. I look forward to see how the lore and legend talk about you now."

The Freedom Fighters and The Chaotix all say their goodbyes. The feeling was of triumph and relief having gone through the battle and surviving the fray. Silver graced over the doctor and hoisted him up in the teal psychokinetic energy. Blaze stepped closely to Silver as they both looked at Sonic and Sally.

"We will miss you most of all great-grandparents." Blaze bowed.

"Stay past cool Sonic." Silver casually saluted.

"Always." Sonic smirked.

The pair's Chaotic Energy reserve flared to huge proportion as lime green energy flashed from them. Then the Chaos Energy drained instantly as Silver voiced Chronos Control. The lime green energy swirled and flashed yellow and white. Sonic focused on the dictator in that moment. Robotnik writhed to life yet again slowly lifting his head, whisking his mustache. Sonic felt a twisting in his gut as Robotnik lifted his head and gazed right at him. The black and crimson eyes were filled with intensity as a wretched smile grew on the despots face. He held the smile briefly before he mouthed the words: I'll be back.

Silver and Blaze flashed away with Robotnik in their clutches and the light show abruptly ended. The cool breezes of the half-polluted ocean graced over each of the team members. They hoped to see them again and wished the best for them and their future.

Sonic felt uneasy about the departure of the dictator but it didn't sink in just yet.

"We should be going too." Knuckles stepped forward.

"Same here." Sonic stepped forward.

"It's been... An experience working with you again."

"Ain't it always, Knux."

The two shook hands as The Chaotix approached from behind the king. Espio, Mighty, Vector, Charmy along with Shadow and Rouge all huddled behind Knuckles. The Freedom Fighters gathered with their leaders all exchanging goodbyes. The war was over and the peacekeepers had succeeded in their quest. The newcomer simply watched it all from the vantage of the beachside metal container.

"Well good for you." he said.

The crowd of fighters for freedom whipped around to see the last adversary to face. He stood atop a metal container looking defeated and defiant. He was bright and golden with his yellow fur shining in the low light. He wore light blue baggy shorts with white leg guards and stylish red and white sneakers. His sand colored chest hair was wild which matched his muzzle and snout. His ears were long as well as the signature triple unruly long strands of hair. He looked down on them with striking blue eyes and a disapproving smile. Behind waved nine beautiful tails all whipping to and fro.

"Tails." Sonic crouched.

Shadow stepped next to Sonic with Knuckles on the opposing side.

"Traitor!" raged Knuckles.

"Miles!" Sally exclaimed. "What are you doing? Where have you been? Why did you cross us?"

Tails smiled. "Leave us."

He stared only at Sonic.

"I'm afraid that isn't going to happen." Mighty folded his arms.

"Yeah! You want Sonic you gotta go through us!" Charmy took flight. He zipped for Tails as the golden fox started to wind his nine turbines.

"Charmy!" Vector called.

Charmy threw a punch for Tails and was easily telegraphed. Tails took Charmy's arm and slammed his palm into the bees elbow. Charmy let out a horrid scream before Tails wound up and back handed him. Charmy hit the ground like he had inhaled bug spray.

Espio didn't say any words.

He slowly went invisible as he tightened up his huge gauntlets. Mighty ran forward lowering his head to ram the container where Tails stood.

"Stand down! Stand down!" Sally exclaimed.

The Chaotix were relentless as Tails leapt from the container. Mighty shifted the box then decided to pick it up. He quickly aimed and tossed it toward the fox. Miles jumped and took flight as an entity slammed into him. Tails spiraled to the ground with the unexpected extra weight. Espio remerged back into the color spectrum as he shoved Tails face into the sand.

"I'll kill you!" Espio spat in raw anger.

Tails winded his nine and instantly took off into the sky with Espio as a passenger. The two were in the cloud shelf in no time as Espio held onto the fox. Miles watch Espio cling to his enemy before batting away the chameleon and watching him plunge to his eventual death.

"Espio!" Mighty and Rouge called. They barreled for their ally as Tails flew down. Knuckles placed trust in both of them to aid Espio. Tails stood atop the container yet again and looked down over his misguided opposition.

"Leave us!" Tails stared at Sonic.

"Have you embraced the side of evil completely Tails?" asked Shadow. "Have you come to terms with the awful things you'd do? Are you willing to sacrifice the one chance to-"

"Enough from you!" Tails turned his attention to Shadow. "Shadow the Hedgehog, the worlds Ultimate Life form reduced to playing lackey for others. Where is your pride? You are infinitely more powerful than Sonic in every way yet you chose enslavement by the crown? Have you come to terms with the pitiful things you'd do?"

Shadow started to walk for the fox bearing lime green Chaos Energy in his hands.

"Showing restraint isn't weakness." Shadow inched in closer. "And there will be no restraint for you."

"No." Sonic called.

Shadow paused.

Tails smirked. "Told ya."

Shadow grew irritated and angered.

"This isn't your fight Shadow."

"I deserve to show him my power." Shadow announced. "Any one of you trying to hold me back is working for him."

"Do you hear yourself, Shadow?" Sonic grabbed him. "He's using you, your passion, to twist you up. Take everyone and get out of here. It's what he wants and it's what I want."

"Glory hog." Tails spat. "Shadow, defy him!"

The black hedgehog saw it clearly now. He turned his back on Tails and gathered up the Freedom Fighters. Mighty and Rouge returned with fear-instilled Espio and broken Charmy.

"Good to see you again, Tails." Sonic smirked.

Tails watched the four Chaotix members pass him by as Knuckles waved them towards the group.

Sally approached. "I am not going to leave you."

Sonic didn't break his stare. "You took down Robotnik today, Sal, I think you deserve a little rest."

"He's dangerous."

"I'm dangerous!" Sonic finally turned to her bearing a smile and a thumbs up.

Sally sighed. "It's my job to worry about you Sonic Hedgehog."

"And it's my job to be the hero, now will you go... please... I've got work to do."

Sonic turned to his fallen friend who still stood patiently on the container whisking his tails amid the wind.

"I love you Maurice."

"Love you too, Sally."

The princess backed away towards the pair of rocks the others were in between. She already longed for her love as the Freedom Fighters and the Chaotix watched Sonic and Tails come to meet in battle. Each of them were friends to Miles but at this point in time with everything said and done the only one he ever set on pedestals was Sonic. Now with the fox and the hedgehog destined to meet, the others simply had to trust the Hero of Knothole.

Shadow was in the middle of a watchful circle of allies as he gathered his Chaos Energy. Each of them held a hand towards Shadow feeling him reach out and over them. The sensation of warping all started to grace over them. Sonic and Tails could feel the energies surging through the air.

"You'd better return faker." Shadow demanded. "I won't tolerate failure."

"Don't worry Shadow, you just get outta here."

"We'll see you back home Sugah-hog." Bunnie added.

Shadow gathered the amount of energy and activated his signature mode of transportation.

"Chaos Control!" Shadow's voice echoed across the beach.

The group was gone and Sonic, in the midst of battle, could finally relax. His heart went out to Espio and definitely Charmy but their comfort would come later. Tails, as he stood, only wanted the hedgehog alone and sure enough the purpose would follow.

"Well, well, well," Sonic rubbed his nose and tapped his foot. "Look what I've found."

Tails dropped down from the container and started proceeding toward the hedgehog.

"Miles Prower, talented fox, boy genius, exceptional pilot, best friend to yours truly and... hero..." Sonic stopped. "something's not right about that last one. I mean it's on the résumè but-"

"I'm still the hero."

"Really? Let's take a look back then: conspiracy, treason, betrayal, heck! I'm sure you did some racketeering while you we're gone."

"It's necessary."

"For who?"

Tails walked right up to Sonic and stared him down. The hedgehog was completely himself rubbing his nose and tapping his foot like he was talking to a friend.

"It's necessary, for Knothole. With everything happening to the crown and the city where is the stability?"

"We just got stability! Did you see them take away Robuttnik?"

"It's not enough Sonic, there is still corruption in Knothole, I know it is."

"You're out of your mind, Tails. You would know this if you didn't betray us!"

"I didn't betray you! I freed myself! No more command and corruption. I'm here fighting for freedom just like you."

"So Knothole is the new Robotropolis?"

"Don't tease me like I'm new here! I know you too well for that."

"Then you know if you attack Knothole then we're no longer friends."

"Friends?"

"Yes! Friends!"

"What kind of a friend are you? You sit and talk to me like things haven't changed, like the world isn't moving forward. You're exactly the way you were before the coma while I've grown up and you can't see that!"

Sonic huffed.

"Do you remember when we took down Nack the Weasel?"

"Of course."

"You told me things were going to be exactly the same. I had these same thoughts back then Sonic and I was planning on confessing them to you but you so arrogantly left without even hearing me."

Sonic definitely remembered.

"When we were imprisoned on Moebius, in the jail cell it was then that I really started to hate you. Everything you did or said just rubbed me the wrong way and-"

"Now look at you. You're here trying to justify your actions."

"Because I have just cause on my side Sonic. You refuse to believe that I could be right."

"That's because you're not." Sonic rubbed his nose.

Tails seethed with anger.

"I knew it was going to come to this." he shook his head. "If you won't acknowledge me Sonic then I gotta take things my way. If you become a martyr I can expose Knothole for the very evil it tried to fend off."

"A martyr? You gotta be kidding me..."

Tails respectfully squared up with Sonic as his nine tails spun behind him. Sonic watched Tails get into stance but couldn't bring himself to get into defense. If he stood in battle then he'd show Tails his stand on the issue. So Sonic, with all his battle experience, all his intense fighting knowledge, all his combat abilities, he sat on the sand and closed his eyes.

"I refuse." Sonic folded his arms.

Tails lost all his energy. He expected a grand battle for the soul of Knothole and all of a sudden in a twist, Sonic the Hedgehog backs out of a fight for the first time in his life.

"Stand!" Tails yelled.

Sonic sat cross-legged on the sand with hands on knees and closed his eyes.

Tails didn't know what to do. Every conclusion he could think of always started with Sonic being in battle. The hedgehog was certainly proving to be an agent of chaos.

"Rise!" Tails yelled.

"If I fight you Tails, it means I'm admitting there is something seedy in Knothole." Sonic countered. "I'm not going to stoop to the level your on."

Tails completely deflated.

"If you don't want to fight me for that reason then fine. Be the hero." Tails walked past Sonic. "I've spent too long to just throw it away."

"Guess I put the ol' monkey wrench in the cogs, huh?"

"Not exactly."

"Let me go!" Sally cried.

Sonic's ears twitched as his relaxed mood instantly vanished. He drew himself up from the sand and slowly turned around.

Tails rustled Sally a bit. "Now that I have your attention..."

"Sonic!" she called.

"Sally! Rggh!I told you to leave!" Sonic exclaimed.

"I couldn't leave you here all alone!" she reasoned.

"Don't you see it now Sonic!" Tails started. "Defiance! And you know what that gets you in the end right? Corruption!"

"Let go of Sally, Tails!" Sonic demanded.

"She's the one! From the beginning!" Tails blamed.

"I don't want to have to fight you!" Sonic stepped closer.

Tails paused. "Yes you do."

Tails sprang forward and grappled with Sonic. The two rolled across the sand as Tails pinned Sonic to the grain. He winded his tails and pressed Sonic deep into the ground. Walls of sand flooded after them as Tails consistently took them deeper. In a matter of seconds, Sonic hit against the sea bed when water started mixing with the tons of sand. Tails reversed his rotations and pulled himself out of the sinkhole. The fox emerged back in daylight and soared in the sky. There was a smooth dip now where he had plunged the hedgehog.

"Tails! You don't have to do this!" Sally exclaimed.

The low point of the dip started to shift as Sonic climbed up on his own will.

"I'm going to prove that Knothole will break without its strongest support." Tails countered. He swooped down and tackled Sonic when the blur flipped himself and tossed Tails into the metal container he once stood on. Tails dented the box and fell onto the ground.

"No funky lightning attacks?" Sonic brushed his shorts off.

Tails got up started his rotations again.

"No wind attacks from you either." Tails sped toward him. Sonic dodged but left himself open as Tails followed his evasion. Tails spun and slammed Sonic with a tail whip. Sonic hit the ground once and landed upright as Tails still lingered over him. Tails landed a punch as Sonic tumbled back again. The hedgehog slid back amid the sand as Tails hovered over him again. Sonic leapt for a kick as Tails easily maneuvered out of the way. Sonic picked up rapid rotation of his own and as soon as he touched the ground he bounced right into Tails' head. The fox spun out of control as Sonic finally got to land his initial kick.

Tails hit the sand but was skyward in seconds. Sonic felt the intensity of battle for too many times today. His body was going to give out before long. Sonic peeked into his options and instantly went into a spin dash. Sand kicked up everywhere, engulfing the coast and the air with the grains. Tails took flight and gathered himself above the sandstorm. Any moment Sonic would come barreling out in a homing attack. Tails spun harder, making sure he wouldn't be on the defensive. The attack never came and Tails realized this. Tails took even greater altitude and started peering over what he could see. For miles, he viewed the sea on his right and the city on the left. Tails spotted a tendril of sand leading into the city. Tails blasted after the tracks used his keen eyes to try and find traces Sonic had escaped into Megaopolis.

"You can't run Sonic." Tails thought. "I know you very well."

Sonic and Sally ducked away into a storage building and ducked down. The smog of the city made it instantly darker among the daytime over the sea. Sonic looked out of the window but maintained secrecy and ducked down.

"Did you lose him?" asked Sally.

"Better question..." Sonic whispered. "Why are you still here?"

"I couldn't leave you without backup."

"Then send Shadow, or Knuckles, even Antoine. Not you!"

"Sonic you need to trust me."

"I do but not in these situations Sal. Geez, you already been through enough today. It's bad enough I had to see Robotnik wail on you without bein' reminded of Metal doin' the same to ya."

"I'm fine, trust me."

"I never thought Tails would try and use you like the others."

"Maybe he really is the villain we never knew."

"Not my friend, I refuse to believe that."

"Sonic he tried to kill you! How can you still call him friend?"

"Because I never gave up on him. I just want the favor returned."

"Sonic!"

"Sal! I know what I'm doing! Lemme just hear him out."

"Trust me Sonic, the Tails you knew is gone."

Sonic stared at Sally briefly and then darted out of the building. He paused momentarily and turned around.

"Do I have to tell you to stay here?"

Sally stuck out her tongue as Sonic smiled. He dashed away kicking up dust and making noise to be found. Tails, the eye in the sky, quickly spotted him and swooped down. Tails got right on Sonic's trail as they sped throughout Megaopolis. Sonic picked up speed and darted through the mechanical town of industry trailing behind the fox.

"C'mon slow-bro!" Sonic baited Miles. "Let's see if you can outfox the hog!"

Sonic boosted and slammed through some loose rubble. Tails was damaged by the small cataclysm the blur had caused. Still, he skidded across the pavement briefly but kept his appendages in motion.

Tails returned to chase velocity as Sonic took turn after turn trying to lose the stubborn fox. Sonic dipped into chemical region where multiple plants were producing fuel, acids, solutes, and other important fluids used to power Robotnik's robotic empire. Sonic took a deep hill and picked up tremendous speed. Tails foresaw what was to come of the path and tilted upward. Sonic rounded up the hill and shot off into the sky. Tails quickly sailed by trying to knock his enemy from the air. Sonic spun and went for a homing attack, which was negated by Tails' extremities. Momentum from the hill-ramp pushed Sonic into the tower of a massive silo. Sonic curled into a ball and smashed into the glass windows. Tails quickly followed and started pursuing Sonic into the free fall.

Tails, with gravity aiding him, immediately slammed into Sonic and forced him into the wall. Sonic skidded against the side before turning the tables and slamming Tails into the wall. Tails grinded against the wall before a narrow pipe jutting from the wall split them apart. The two tried to readjust but immediately slammed into the purple water.

Tails, a natural born swimmer, easily felt at home while his tails slowly rotated to keep him afloat. Sonic, being like a rock, immediately sank to the depths of the silo. His speed and agility reduced by the gravity of the water, Sonic felt like a sitting duck, or a sitting stone. Sonic kicked his legs and got up to speed among the purple water. Robotnik, still an overlander, did need water to survive but it wasn't without special modification hence the purple nature. Sonic felt his lungs strain as he jumped onto the emergency release floor switch. The switch activated as Tails tackled Sonic into the floor. Tails slammed Sonic in the chest trying relieve him of his air. Sonic recoiled in pain as the water pulled both of them out into the pipes. They twisted through filled pipes, winding through the plumbing of Megaopolis' design until they turned upward and accelerated. Sonic was turning purple from holding his air supply and couldn't wait to fill it.

The two combatants soared among the spout of water. Tails leveled himself out as Sonic returned to his normal hue and performed a homing attack. Tails dodged and ended up moving again. Sonic locked in his homing attack and would not relent in chasing down the fox. Tails went into a downward spiral as Sonic gave out and landed perfectly on the roof of a nearby plant. Tails was being chased now as he weaves through several buildings. Sonic revved and blasted from rooftop to rooftop. Tails ducked underneath bridges and arches of mechanics as Sonic was right on him. Tails took a sharp left and swooped down to the street level and landed. The fox took a brief rest when a silent homing attack knocked Tails from the street and onto the sidewalk. Sonic stood in the middle of the street rubbing his nose.

"Just so I heard you right..." Sonic began, "You want to eliminate the corruption in Knothole by martyring me and making yourself an enemy of the state to bring out the good in everyone, right?"

"Now you want to listen..." Tails spat.

"I'm just tryin' to understand Tails." Sonic reasoned. "So what if there is corruption? What if everything we did was all for the bad guys? What happens then?"

"We'll know Knothole can't be trusted." Tails stated. "We can make the final place of corruption a home of freedom."

Sonic thought about it.

"Who are you and what have you done to the real Tails?"

"This isn't a game!"

"I'm starting to think it is. And you lost all the marbles in this one. It's why I'm here to pick up the pieces again and put you in the box."

Tails rolled his eyes.

Sonic slapped his own high five and smirked a bit.

"You think you're so high and mighty."

"They don't call me the Hero of Knothole for nothin'."

"That's precisely why they call you that. Being a hero of a fooled city makes you king fool. That fact that you boast it only makes you deceived by your own arrogance."

Sonic stared at Tails.

"You came back from your coma expecting the same things didn't you? Single Sally? Same Knothole? You leading the fighters? But spoiled hedgehog Sonic didn't get what he wanted so you cried about it."

Sonic waned "I didn't want any of those things..."

Tails laughed. "You lie. You managed to sway my team to your leadership. You managed to get the king dethroned and free Sally from her marriage. You even got your precious Knothole back. I just want to know when you plan on thinking about the rest of us..."

"Shut up Tails. None of that is true."

"Sure on the surface. But I know you the best Sonic, and I know you crave the spotlight. Even Robotnik gave you the most attention. Everything is all for you."

Sonic came to terms with the reality. "You know Miles, you sound just like Robotnik."

Tails paused.

Sonic stood up from his stance and boldly stood against his adversary. "And if you truly think you can start a better world without me..."

Sonic's blue blades started to curl up on the ends as a yellow aura surrounded him. His soothing green eyes started to turn into a blazing red hue. The yellow aura surrounding Sonic shifted to gold, red, and orange as Sonic morphed from blue to bright golden yellow. The hedgehog glowed white briefly as Chaos Energy surged from the hero.

Tails stood in awe but ultimately kept his ground. He could taste the Chaos Energy flowing from the beacon of light before him. The streets around them were casting color projections of the bright aura flowing from Sonic.

The hedgehog finished his statement. "...then meet me in battle."

Tails wore a devilish grin and then nodded. He knew he wasn't in complete disadvantage since he could feel the Chaotic Energy from the emeralds. Sonic was giving Tails the chance to fight on an even plane for the future of Mobius. Tails inhaled and felt the essence of the forces upon his body.

"You said if you ever got the chance to get the emeralds you'd kill me. Let's see if you meant it."

This was the first time Tails had felt the touch and his body reacted immediately launching up a light blue aura. Tails' already golden fur started to brighten to white. The light blue aura flared and surrounded the fox in purest glory. Super Sonic watched with a smirk and tightened fists. He was starting to get anxious, ready to see what Super Tails could do.

Tails completed his transformation clad in lemon-to-white color phase as Super Sonic shifted from gold to white. They both had red eyes and the auras surrounding them were creating vortices. The factories beyond them started to crumble from the Chaos Energy surging from the both of them. They were deadlocked in pure power as the streets beneath them crumbled. The air was whisking everywhere as the grim night of the city held two beacons within.

Tails didn't waste any time and slammed into Sonic. The hedgehog had been a bit off guard and was tossed into the building behind him. Super Sonic gracefully landed and was slammed with a nine-tailed lash. Super Sonic went through and bounced on the ground levels. The aura surrounding Sonic waned a bit as Tails powered his way through the building ripping up anything in his path. He spearheaded to Sonic and was thrown off by the speed of the hedgehog. In a flash Sonic stopped Tails' flight with a stomp to the face. Tails bounced from Sonic's attack as he flipped back into ball mode and blasted tails with an aura-induced homing attack. Tails now exited the building involuntarily with Super Sonic right after him. Tails spun across the ground and leapt back into the air. Super Sonic slid to a halt and let his aura lift him inches from the ground. Tails curled his appendages as the aura swirled into nine tentacles. Super Sonic started to retreat as Super Tails sent his attack. The fist tentacle slammed Sonic miles down the street as the fox gave chase. Super Sonic bounced and rolled but finally got his feet underneath him and started gliding at supersonic speeds. Tails, matching the speed a few miles back, sent his tentacle-like aura to swipe for his nemesis. Sonic took several sharp turns in many intersections of the city. His speed was almost that of Chaos Control as Tails immediately lost him in the flurry. Super Tails came to a stop watching Sonic pass through many an intersection nearly at the same time. He started to realize he had potentially fallen into a trap and lifted to the sky. Super Tails hit the ground, leaving a crater where he impacted. He got up unfazed and started to lift up again. Tails received a shot in the back which sent him into a corner of the building. He bounced off and slid into the middle of the street. Confusion and inaccurate sighting kept giving the hedgehog the advantage.

His speed was limitless at this point.

Tails used his nine aura tentacles as a shield and wrapped over himself before taking a third attempt to the sky. Sonic suddenly barreled into the light blue aura baring an aura spear of his own. He was cutting into the shield of the fox swiftly until he collided with Tails and knocked Tails into the ground. Sonic slid to a stop with flames in the tracks he left.

"I don't believe you turned to that side Tails," Sonic called. "I think you just want to be heard."

Tails didn't answer.

He stood up in response and lifted himself to the sky. The aura surrounding him rippled as the white light shimmered from him. Sonic tightened his stance and watched Tails open the tentacle-like aura into nine arms. Sonic flashed away when the oppositions arms slammed into the ground. The next set of tentacles nearly clipped Sonic when he got to his destination. Sonic leapt to the street again when three tentacles swiped from left, right, and middle. Sonic took a soaring leap leaving him wide open to an aerial assault. Tails swung in from Sonic's blind spot and slammed him on the stomach. Super Sonic flashed blue briefly when the power returned. The hedgehog folded around Tails' punch when the fox reeled back and kicked Sonic to make him spun in mid-air. Tails hovered in front of Sonic's face and spun his appendages like blades in Sonic's face. The chops grew stronger with each rotation. Tails ended his series of whips with a roundhouse kick and sent the hedgehog down.

Super Sonic hit the ground holding his face as Super Tails gathered him in his crosshairs. Aerial combat was the fox's specialty and if he were to succeed he would need to get him grounded. Miles was pretty fast but was a snail on the land. Sonic turned tail and accessed his speed. Miles Prower barely had time to react but kept him in sight. Sonic took to the on ramp, which lead to the sky route of the former Radical Highway. Tails took a huge arching flight path while Sonic took the more obvious way. The highway was a service track for Robotnik for robots to get by. With no current schedule planned the track was empty.

Super Sonic lead the way with Super Tails on his position. Sonic dashed left as Tails swooped. Sonic jumped and homed in while Tails tilted downward. Sonic ended up grinding on the side of the guard rails. Tails spun and tried to knock him off with a flurry of barrages. Tails swept for Sonic's legs when the hedgehog leapt and curled. He homed in point blank and rocked Tails out into the distance. Miles shook off the hit but gotten considerable distance in between the two. The Chaos-imbued fox ducked underneath the highway flaring his aura as he started to catch up to Sonic.

Sonic cruised along the skyward highway taking loops and spirals until he finally noticed the setting. It was entirely too quiet. Sonic looked to his left and saw four aura tentacles rising and then to the other side where the other four were. Sonic smirked a little bit and dug in deeper for a swifter pace. The leading tentacles swiped simultaneously and Sonic jumped. In mid-air he was snatched from the air and dragged on the ground. The hedgehog rolled several times before coming to a stop. He stood up and before he could react, Tails flew by with a massive punch. Sonic hit the ground again and lost his target. He slammed his fist on the ground before rolling into a spin dash and picking up speed again. The four tentacles emerged again as soon as Sonic started moving. The same trick wouldn't work twice on a seasoned veteran like Sonic so he entered this round with confidence. The first two tentacles swiped again and Sonic rolled underneath. Two tentacles from behind swiped into the air missing the target as the remaining four aura appendages started to sweep over the highway. Sonic reduced his speed and watched the white aura miss the mark. Sonic couldn't see Tails but he knew he was underneath the street. Sonic pinpointed a good location where the attack was coming and leapt over the edge. He fell quickly but caught Tails in surprise. Sonic added his aura to his homing attack and slammed Tails with a huge hit. The fox powered down in the hit and soared for the ground.

Miles tried to wind his turbines but his brakes weren't enough for the quick descent. Tails slammed into a few cables and wires before hitting against a slanted roof and sliding toward the street below. He got enough wind under him to break his fall but still felt the pain of hitting against the ground at a decent speed. He tumbled to the ground and paused feeling to make sure he move everything. He felt a massive burn on in his right side when he slid on the building and two of his tails felt strained. The hit he took was precise; no one else could have done that surgical attack other than Sonic.

Sally approached from a distance.

She saw the entire fight, trying to track them wherever they went, hoping that Sonic would be okay. She hadn't heeded Sonic's command and stayed out, not with all of the worrying she did. We saw Tails tumble across the street first and was apprehensive at first but picked up speed. She was coming to a jog once she saw Sonic weakly float down losing his aura in the process. He touched the ground as patches of blue started to seep through the golden-yellow. Super Sonic's magnificence was waning as Tails was back to normal on the ground. Sonic took a few steps and fell to his knees coming eye to eye with the fox on the ground.

Sonic and Tails stared for a while. The silence between them holding the strenuous tension between them. There were all kinds of emotion between these two, from their early years coming to love each other as brother up until coma when they respected each other as equals. The stare was broken when Tails of all expressions, took on a smile.

"I've given everything." Tails stated.

"No. No you haven't." Sonic replied.

Sally was within earshot as Sonic glanced at her but gestured for her to remain quiet. She nodded as Tails continued.

"I'm going to be honest Sonic. You've never respected me. Everything I did it always felt like it was just second place."

"Tails, Tails, Tails..."

"No. Don't give me that. We were brothers you and I."

"You still are Tails. Just face facts. There's no corruption in Knothole, there's no hidden battle at home we still need to face. All that's left for us is peace."

"You're just oblivious aren't you? I started to see things the moment you slipped into the coma."

"That far back, yeah right."

"Nothing's been clear up until now but I see it Sonic, clear as day."

Sally eagerly called."Sonic."

The hedgehog waved her off. "Everybody's a right to free speech Sal, let's hear it then."

"Sally?" Tails questioned, writhing to stand up. Sonic sat back in Indian-style as Tails gathered himself to stand. He looked weakened but in better shape than Sonic who had been fighting nonstop all day. The fox's legs wriggled but he stood ultimately. Miles put power in his arm and lifted his right hand to point right at Sally.

"You!" Tails accused.

"Sally?" Sonic struggled to stand now. "Her!"

"Don't you think it's odd." Tails started. "Going back to the Endgame saga, back when this all started. The crown was shaky at best and King Max was on his way out. Robotnik had been defeated and the conspirators had been figured out. All we had left were two of the brightest left in comatose. Sure Princess Sally comes out of hers in just about three days but Sonic doesn't emerge until right when we need him.

"This is stupid!" Sonic spat. "You think she managed to put me in a coma from something Robotnik did?"

"Not alone. She needed a few helping hands, Doctor Quack, and Nicole for instance, maybe even Geoffrey St. John."

"That's enough Tails!"

"I visited you every day for a while Sonic and every day the medical charts were exactly the same. No changes from one day to the next. It was all squeaky clean. Once Nicole came online things were really efficient; bringing in Shadow and Rouge to undermine the village."

"Tails!" Sally bellowed.

"Admit it, you hired Rouge to bring in Shadow and plunge the stability of the village into chaos. From there it was all too easy, first the relocation, building the city how you see fit, making the crown something gaudy when it's meant to be pure. You corrupted us all when you came to me with the plans for the EIA!"

"Stop it." Sally screamed.

"You wanted us to be your pawns didn't you? You needed all of us for a footstool while the revived and claimed Hero of Knothole was used as a trophy spouse. Sonic was never the one to place blame because he was a puppet wasn't he!"

"No more Tails." Sonic waved him off.

Sally stepped forward and lifted her arm.

Tails rose from his feet as if being lynched. He struggled for the force beyond his control and yet he was powerless.

Sally was in Control now.

"Sal?" Sonic questioned.

Rings of fire surrounded the trio as the wind picked up in a swirl around them. Sally lifted her other and pushed out letting electricity ablaze upon the fox. Sonic simply would not believe his eyes. He rubbed them and nearly popped them out but Sally was in control of the Chaotic Elements.

"Sally no!" Sonic went to tackle her.

Sonic slammed into his fiancé and was thrown back by his own kinetic energy. She was rock solid with the glimmer of thin Crystal over her body. Sonic tumbled against the ground until he was floating right next to Tails. They stared at Sally with confused eyes as she held them up with ease.

Princess Sally was in complete dominance.

She leaned forward and shook her head. "Good Tails, but you're only half right."

**The final chapter is but a few hours away! RATE AND REVIEW PLEASE!**


	51. FREE!

Princess Sally Acorn held up her hand.

Sonic the Hedgehog and Miles 'Tails' Prower were floating amid the heat and wind. They were in complete shock to find themselves under the whims of the Acorn princess. She watched them with calculating eyes.

"I never should have been mad at him!" Tails professed. "It was you!"

"Sally!" Sonic cried. "What are you doing? Let us go!"

Sally turned her head, tightening her Control around Tails' body. The fox struggled to maintain his will against hers especially with the two of them in their weakened state.

"Sally!" Sonic screamed.

Tails stopped writhing, meaning he would last moments longer.

Sally turned her head back to the pair and released a sigh.

"I forget sometimes how smart a kid you are." Sally stated.

Tails didn't buy the compliment. "Why am I only half right? What's the full truth?"

"The truth is not how you perceive it, Tails." Sally shook her head. The wind and fire died down as Sally started to walk between them. Sonic and Tails eyed her as she passed through their helpless floating bodies. She started progressing down the city-like streets. They were near the heart of Megaopolis but making their way to the city limits and eventual countryside.

"Project: Endgame was not my doing, first off." Sally stated.

"Sally what are you doing?" Sonic questioned.

She ignored him, not even glancing at him. "I was the victim in the ordeal suffering a coma and the blunt of a conspiracy. Even Sonic hadn't come out unscathed. When I awoke I saw what happened when the trust of Knothole was corrupted."

"Corrupted?!" Tails spat. "You wanna talk corruption now?!"

"Knothole suffered a major blow especially with our best knight in duress. So I did what I did best and took the blunt of responsibility in the wake of my father's passing. Knothole needed a ray of hope and with Sonic indisposed who could I turn to. The wolf pack tribe had failed us, even though they were working for Geoffrey St. John. That's when you found the emerald Tails and it set off a chain of events that would shape our future."

Miles didn't move.

Sonic knew he was being purposely handled while Sally kept her attention on the fox.

"Is there anyone you won't use for your little game?"

Sally Controlled them out of the skyscrapers of Megaopolis into the industrial part of Megaopolis. The buildings were lower and wider but produced the majority of pollution. The smog here was thick and the smell completely atrocious. She predestined a course for the city limits while holding the two heroes in custody.

"Still, Sonic couldn't bring himself from out of a coma simply because he needed the presence of mind to engage the emeralds. Dr. Quack explained his comatose state to me like a loosened rubber band. No tension means slow activity, inability to be coherent, and overall reduced cerebral activity. However, if we pull on the tension it becomes taught, strengthened, active."

"What happens when the tension snaps?" Tails asked.

"Luckily we never found out."

"You played lab rat with me?" asked Sonic

"We put Sonic deeper into a coma, hoping it would spring him out of it."

"Or make him a vegetable!"

"Sally how could you do that?" Sonic questioned. "You risked me for everything."

"Isn't that what you do on the battlefield, risking yourself for Mobius?"

"That isn't the same!" Sonic erupted.

"I knew the consequences I faced when I started this little endeavor. Nicole and I came up with the plan to better protect ourselves using the Chaos Emeralds. The EIA was birthed around the time we recruited Shadow and Rouge. Knowing they were some of the more combatable wavelengths of Chaos Energy besides our own they happily joined, at least that's what we told everyone."

Sonic and Tails looked at each other.

"The EIA was not doing well among the chatter of the people. They didn't like the fact that there were going to be gods among Mobians. Granting that much power to a single person could corrupt them. It took convincing and stuffing ballots to get the proposition to go my way but we needed the people on our side, the side of the crown. In the time the EIA was nearing completion we hired Rouge from G.U.N. to find a suitable candidate to infiltrate and destroy Knothole, that candidate was Shadow. Little did we know he was that over-imbued with his own Chaotic Energy, he quickly overpowered our newest top soldiers and destroyed Knothole."

"You... Hired... Him?" Tails seethed. "You allowed the greatest threat to our village to walk all over us!"

"When you see the end result you'll thank me." Sally appeased Tails with a lightning shock.

"Who are you Sally?" asked Sonic.

"Geoffrey St. John managed to make a good enough argument to get into my good graces. I allowed him to be King in the midst of his own deception. He was fighting his own secret war with Snively at the time and actually managed to keep the villagers alive. Still, our home was destroyed in the expansion of Robotropolis and we ended up moving. New Mobotropolis was built with Nicole as moderator of the city. She and I created a better view to protect our people."

Sally turned her attention to Sonic.

"It was around that time the tension was beginning to snap. Either his mind would be lost or he would emerge and luckily, Sonic did. This presented a problem. After years of coming through for us Tails was itching to be the new Hero of Knothole. There was insurmountable trust in him through all things and yet Sonic the legend had awakened."

"So you put us into a situation where you knew someone would come out on top." Sonic shook his head.

"Knowing the way Tails felt about you at the time spurred on an eventual conflict. Sonic returned, the leader of a failed mission, while Geoffrey St. John conjured up his plan. Needless to say I didn't have anything to do with that plot but it was well-conceived. Naturally we stopped him but all wasn't well. Nicole had been shut down and our government in shambles. We revised a council which figuratively spread the power. Hamlin, as adept as he was, only scratched the surface. By the time we retrieved my brother and defeated the Moebians we were back on course. Elias was to be king while I could influence my team even better. True, Robotnik returned and had us all in a pinch and I feared you would have figured things out from then."

"Metal Sonic... He abused you and yet you still stood..."

"I thought my biggest secret would have spilled. I thought you would have figured it out when we had our kids. But in-depth thought was never really your forte."

"And playin' puppeteer is yours?"

"No puppets, just politics." Sally scoffed. "Robotnik occupied most of my planning; so much I couldn't figure out how to get what I wanted. Such a grandiose scheme required the majority of my intellect until I finally saw an opportunity. The Ultimate Annihilator."

Sonic exhaled. That fearsome machine won't stay dead. "What about it?"

"Essentially Robotnik has the right idea; don't get me wrong, slavery and robotization are some of the sickest things ever designed but what if we encouraged freedom instead. A world where everyone is free and all can live in peace and security. A paradise for all life on Mobius!"

"But you intend to force it with the Ultimate Annihilator." Tails gnashed.

"No one's going to get hurt, but conversely they'll know just who gave them their freedom. Knothole."

Sonic and Tails were stunned to the very core of their heart. Sally Acorn was never this way, she was loving, kind, smart, generous, witty, even flirty at times but never cold-hearted. Now they saw her in just the same light as Mammoth Mogul and even Robotnik.

"What about our kids Sally?" Sonic asked. "Did you plan parenthood with them?"

Sally smiled. "I admit when I saw you back on your feet again Sonic my heart melted again. I just had to have you again. In the end, we received two amazing children out of it and I love them dearly. And they will love encouraging freedom all across the world."

"The legacy lives on." Tails spat.

"Sal, this is... This is wrong." Sonic saddened.

"Isn't this what we've been fighting for?" asked Sally. "We swore, the three of us, ages ago to put away the injustices of the Robotnik Regime and institute freedom all across Mobius. Now that we've succeeded in the first part what keeps us from attaining the last piece? I'm posing these questions to make you remember just who the Freedom Fighters are."

"Every move, every villain, every ally you orchestrated to match your needs." Tails spat. "What makes you think we'll trust you ever again? I pose this question to make you see."

"I've already sighted our goal, in fact Nicole is nearly finished."

"The conversation on the satellite..." Sonic kicked himself. "I should have known."

The three had progressed to their destination.

The city limits of Megaopolis looked small on the horizon as the smog lifted just enough to give view. They passed through a clearing of gravel before approaching a collection trees. Coincidently, Tails had survived in this same encampment. Blaze and Silver had come here to stop the so-called trigger.

"You take me here, of all places." Tails turned away.

Sally looked at Tails almost begging for an explanation.

Sonic was too mixed with emotion to give response.

"This is where I hid after I... I made the mistake of trying to kill Sonic. Those two from the future, Blaze and Silver, got to me and eliminated my power. They told me I was the trigger to their horrible future."

Sonic met eyes with Tails.

"They told us in their history that we lost most of our friends in the fight including Sally here." Sonic turned back to his former fiancé. "If you died then we would never have known the truth. Nicole would never seize the Ultimate Annihilator and we wouldn't be in Control right now. Blaze and Silver closed one can of words for a whole container."

"Don't equate me with that!" Sally furrowed.

"I don't care! I'd rather have Robotnik around for a thousand lifetimes than you betraying us, Sal. How could you do this? Don't you know the things we been through? Don't you know we suffered together? Loved together? I risked everything for you! I would have died for you! Now look how this ends, your hand on the literal trigger about to force the world into constant smiles and please and thank you's."

"We're going to shape the world in freedom!" Sally exclaimed.

"You're going to enslave them in freedom!" Sonic yelled.

The Control shattered.

Sonic and Tails plummeted to the ground. Sally backed up in haste.

She cursed."Not yet."

Tails sprang forward and tackled Sally to the ground. The princess writhed and then electricity flashed from her body, throwing Tails off.

"So this is what you were going to tell me, before all this happened, before Robotnik dropped war on Knothole?"

Sally nodded. Sonic walked over and helped Tails up. He looked bad, the injuries of the clash of the supers left the both of them in tatters. Sally managed to be perfectly able through it to come out on top. Her strategy was unrivaled now.

"If you had told me then," Sonic shook his head. "I probably would have been your fool time and again. But you used us, you put me and my brother at war, you forced us to take out your competition, then you intend to throw us out like garbage."

"I'm letting you exercise your right for freedom." Sally stared at them. "Of course, it's not the right move but I will entertain your thoughts but this is the direction I'm taking things."

"Sally if you go down this way, then I can't follow you." Sonic sighed.

Sally shook her head. "I knew you were going to say that."

"We need to stop her." Tails said to Sonic.

"I can't." Sonic held back tears.

"Sonic listen to me." Tails grabbed him by the shoulder. "It's either the world or her. You have to choose. You can't hate me for what I'm claiming stake in."

Tails released himself from the crutch Sonic provided and hobbled on his own two legs. He stepped before Sally and slowly got into his fighting stance. Sally turned sideways and crouched a bit holding arms in a locked position. She was fairly skilled in some combat but nothing comparable to the other ladies in the camp. Tails took flight quickly and scrambled for the princess. Sally struck a strand of lightning at Tails who expertly dodged. He closed in on her and stopped his propellers to tail whip Sally. The princess bounced across the gravel and slid to a stop slamming her hands into the loosened rocks. Crystal formed into a hexagon pattern cage containing Miles Prower. Sally shot lightning out again, holding from her fingertips as the crystal radiated the electricity into its interior.

Sonic watched in disbelief and horror as his future wife tortured his best friend on the battlefield. His eyes couldn't believe it, his heart couldn't take it. His woman had become deceptive in order to attain the thing they all valued most. He wasn't sure if this turmoil would pass or not, but as he watched her cry amid the continuation he made his decision. The world was full of millions of Mobians, all of them unique and special in their own way. He had laid his life on the line several times to save the nameless faces from all over. He felt joy when the job was done and proud to be called hero.

But there was only one Sally Acorn.

She slammed Tails' cage to the ground as fire sprouted around it cooking him and electrocuting him simultaneously. Tails hollered in clear pain, Wishing he had the strength and energy to even think of escaping. He knew he would always go down fighting but never knew if it was going to be a friend.

"Enough." Sonic calmly stated.

Instantly, the fire died and the electricity stopped.

"I'm going to save you Sal." Sonic announced.

Sally smirked and shook her head. "I don't need you to save me Sonic." She wiped the tears from her face and lifted her hands again. "Now don't come any closer."

"You don't mean that."

"Yes I do."

"Then why are you crying?"

Sally paused. "I didn't think it would be like this."

"You still have a chance to be saved. Just let Tails go, and we can go home."

"You don't take me seriously!" Sally unlatched her Lynx device.

"Sally!"

"Nicole, target Megaopolis and fire."

Sonic darted off toward Sally. He rushed with all his might and anguish trying to stop the cannon launch. Sonic slammed into a crystal exterior and bounced onto the ground. Sally waved a hand over him as crystal enclosed over him. He banged against the shell screaming at Sally who couldn't hear him through two shells. Sally pointed to the sky as a pinnacle of light shined in the sky. Sonic pressed his hands against the glass as he shook his head in fury. His pain was easy to read since he did not want this machine to fire ever again let alone be rebuilt.

There was a blue and white light anchored where the stars should be in a small rotation. Then a small point started jutting out from the black. It moved slowly, as if being traced across the sky. The point was solid white with blue after effects leaving the surrounding area in green lowlight. The spectral colors were beautiful as if a comet was soaring among an aurora borealis. That sensation changed once the light broke the atmosphere. The heat and pressure changed the color of the laser as it sped up in Mobius' upper layers. The brilliant white was there but with seedy purple and ominous magenta scattered within. The laser traveled as light did and enveloped Megaopolis. The illumination was blinding, covering over everything in white. Sound went mute and all other senses shut down just to accumulate for the optical overload. Light decomposed the solid into nothing. They watched as blocks of material and matter all disintegrated into photons. The air was getting thinner and moisture was no longer in the area. Not only did it eradicate matter but also the life-giving properties of Mobius. Sound returned in stages, with rumbles occurring as loud as ten-thousand lion's roars. Tails wished he didn't have to relive this again, this is the second occurrence where he'd seen this foreboding weapon of mass destruction. Each time it embedded itself deeper into his core. He was pained by it and it always reminded him of the pain and suffering leading up to this moment. Tails could not watch anymore, he didn't want to watch anymore, the presence of this weapon only brought him pain. Sally saw pain as well. The pain of slavery and maltreatment being lifted from each and every soul on the planet. Freedom would be restored soon and all would know who granted it back to them. All along, she and her team knew it would be a long road to get here and without her action they'd probably still be lost. In the end, they would thank her but for now all she could do was stare; and that's exactly what Sonic did. Having experienced this on the inside prior, he was like a picture this time - holding still and surprised that she could do such a thing. He held onto a single thought, watching the destruction and calamity progress before home. He could only think of one constant name: Robotnik.

The laser subsided.

Exiting as quickly as it entered.

The silence was unrecognizable at first and the sight along with it. Where there once was Megaopolis now harbored a gash on Mobius' surface. Where there once was a smudge of smog and pollution now held sinkhole measuring over hundreds of miles into Mobius' crust. Ocean was pouring into the trench as steam overflowed out of. There was a ring of fire hundreds of feet high around the entire desolation.

What if Robotnik had done this to Knothole?

Dust was everywhere, and the fires were dying down as quickly as they had started. There was a huge dome around the three of their individual spheres just as a contingency. Tails opened his eyes, hoping what he saw was a dream or a vivid memory but it wasn't. Reality had struck yet again for the young fox. Sonic shook his head and punch the crystal, which cracked substantially. More cracks appeared around his enclosure and then in all the others.

The Crystal shattered.

The hardened gem-like walls all came tumbling down in shards. Tails was free from his prison but his body wasn't reactive. Sonic stood up and ran to Tails. His torture left him scarred and bruised. Had Sally really been this ruthless?

"Nicole, target Robotropolis and fire!" Sally stated.

Sonic blinked over to Sally and slammed her to the ground. Her handheld clattered to the gravel as Sonic diverted his attention. Sally pushed Sonic off her and watched him sail. The Kinetic energy forced out was enough to delay Sonic from getting back in time. Sally raced for the device and dove before Sonic scooped it up. The blue hedgehog snapped the technology in two and tossed the pieces in opposite directions.

"I don't know what went wrong with you Sal, but this is as far as my sympathy can go. I'm gonna have to declare you an enemy of the state."

"I am the state, Sonic Hedgehog!"

"Then I have no choice." Sonic blasted off as wind repelled from Sally. Fierce hurricane-like winds expelled from the princess. Sonic still maintained his speed as the winds nearly launched him. His aerodynamic body could withstand the gales produced. Sally put more ferocity into her attack when it ceased.

The Wind shattered.

Sonic slammed into Sally when kinetic energy threw him back with the same force. Sonic bounced onto the gravel away from Sally. The princess turned to run when a flash of light enveloped the area yet again. The majority of the light came from the west where Robotropolis and its headquarters were stationed. Wind and trembling threw the three of them back into the woods. There was a screech this time, which they did not hear the first time. The sky turned red in the presence of the pink laser. Clouds scattered and the wind was hurricane like even from across the ocean. Suddenly the cannon stopped, the firing sequence completed and Nicole would await orders from her master.

The Kinetics shattered.

Sally, trying to shield herself from being thrown into trees, used up her force to divert around the obstacles. The three of them awoke in a small clearing where a ring of charred brush laid. Tails struggled to get up but he got to his feet. His body ached with burns and bruises all over. Sonic urged himself to stand amid his restless and weakened state. Sally was last trying to figure a way to convince these two to see her path.

"What's the next target, Sal?" Tails asked. "West Side Island, South Island, Downunda?"

"What do you care? You only see things your way." Sally sighed.

"We fought for Freedom from Robotnik." Sonic stated. "And nothing else."

"And I'm trying to ensure the freedom we secured." Sally explained. "I don't want to have to deal with another grand scheme from Mammoth Mogul, or the Destructix, and even the off chance of dealing with some of Angel Islands adversaries. I see a better view of the future when I have control of it."

"Then is it really freedom, Sal?" asked Sonic, approaching cautiously.

She paused. "Yes. If only you could see things my way!"

Sally sprang up as fire emblazoned in rings from around her. As quickly as the fire built upon itself it died down. Sally collapsed to the ground with pain coursing through her body. The Fire subsequently shattered and so did Sally.

Sally fell on her haunches looking drained as Sonic approached.

"What happened to you Sally? When did you start going this way?" Sonic stared through her.

"I knew she was going through stress but not like this." Tails added. "It takes a strong a kind of person to deal with Robotnik, Sonic. I never knew just exactly how demented he could make people. He used his insanity to influence the instability of our world for his. From Geoffrey St. John, to me, to Sally, all of us in the right places to turn you aside. I realize that now. I'm sorry, brother."

Sonic kept his focus on Sally. "I'm sorry too brother.

"I also want to thank you." Tails added. "Because without you imagine where we would be. I understand why you played the hero now. It wasn't for glory or for self-indulgence, not at all, you were the hero to remind everyone that we were pure. I'd like to wish you never had that coma in the beginning just to see if we would follow the same path. I'm going to trust you again Sonic, my brother."

Sonic turned from Sally with a troubled smile and hugged Miles Prower. The two were bonded together yet again. The respect they had for each other would become boundless at this point. Then Sonic turned back to Sally.

"It's good to see you're friends again..." She said weakly.

"I don't think we can trust you again Sal." Sonic said, damming his tears. "You went... You went way too far. And no one is above the law."

Sally closed her eyes. "So you're going to rob me of my freedom? After Robotnik gets to travel abroad through time seeing the wonders of the future?"

"He still rots in a cell!" Tails spat.

"I see how this goes. Perhaps my ideas won't go over well in my lifetime but when Silver and Blaze return with another catastrophe we three will look back on this moment and wonder what could have been." Sally explained. "Freedom will never reach the expanse of Mobius without guidance, and I want to be the one for that."

"Then let's do it, Sal." Sonic appeased her.

Sally opened her eyes and gazed in Sonic's eyes.

"But without that weapon, without the force, without the singularity that is Sally Acorn. I love you to no end Sal, and there's nothing we both worked harder for than freedom, as I see you now, your straying from the path we set brick by brick. Alone you are strong, with Tails you're formidable, and with me, you're unbreakable. If we bond together then Freedom will never stop."

Tails nodded in approval, as Sally exhaled with tears rolling down.

"You still love me? Even through all this?" Sally quivered.

"You think I'd go back to Amy?" Sonic smirked.

Sally let out a chuckle. "Sonic, Tails, I need help."

"Don't worry, we'll be with you every step of the way." Tails folded his arms. "Insanity is a huge hump to climb."

Sally held up her hands. "No I meant help."

Sonic and Tails looked at each and then grabbed her hands, pulling her up to two legs. She was faintly shaking as Sonic took it upon himself and carried Sally in his arms.

"How do we explain this to Knothole?" Tails asked.

Sonic thought for a second. "The truth. We're going to keep home a nice clean place."

"I hope they won't be too harsh." Tails said without a brush of fear.

"Relax kid, we're bros again! The Freedom Fighters can spot that like cheese on a chili dog."

"I'm actually excited to go home. Back to Knothole." Tails confessed.

"No more living in fear. No more oppression. Just freedom." Sally smiled. "Right?"

Sonic nodded. "Got that right."

Tails nodded and Sally was still streaming tears from her eyes. Sonic stood among them both, tired and battered, but felt stronger than he ever felt. With security established between his fiancé and his brother the future looked brighter for the world of Mobius. Sonic, confidently smiling at his family, gathered what little energy he could and concentrated. He realized that through all of the bedlam in the past, the incoming future would be drab in comparison. Still, he knew he conquered the trials and managed to control the chaos in his life. He was proud to weather this massive storm and look forward to serenity that follows. Sonic felt the tingle of Chaos Energy and readied his squad for teleportation. The lime green energy followed and eventually the trio vanished among the wasteland that was Megaopolis.

The return to Knothole was a short ride.

Sonic, Tails, and Sally immediately saw the majority of the city back in rebuild mode - possibly for the last time. There was tons of scrap metal all heaped into piles outside of the city. The three of them had appeared at the city gates front entrance where Tails could lead the procession as a welcomed member back in the fold. Many workers were stunned to see the fox back in the gates after what had happened. With Sonic and Sally close by things became self-explanatory.

Nicole appeared shortly after they entered, bearing many questions to Sally's former plan. They would have to wait. Nicole escorted the three directly toward Castle Acorn where the other Freedom Fighters had gathered. King Elias was getting debriefed about the latest news in Robotropolis. Sonic and Sally lead Tails in through the front doors as Bunnie and Antoine wore concerned looks. At first they were troubled but as they read their faces they could tell a monumental change had occurred.

Bunnie ran to Tails and embraced him in a hug. Antoine followed with a salute and a hearty handshake. Tails humbly bowed before the King as Cream and Amy approached. Amy hugged him like an old friend as Cream gave him a small peck on the cheek. Mina, having seen what Cream did, decided to up the ante and gave Tails a flat-out kiss. Tails, cleared his throat, not sure of what to think, after being a revered criminal to upstanding citizen. Elias asked his questions and then the Freedom Fighters divulged. They told of the events occurring since Knothole had been invaded with the Doomsday Machine, the Ultimate Annihilator, and the appearance of time-traveling allies. Sonic, Tails, and Sally remained in the background for the most part - letting the others take the lead.

When it came time to tell of the final battle Sonic stepped up and told his side. How they snuck aboard the shuttle, invaded the satellite, and rigorously fended off Robotnik. The arrival on the surface was met with huge celebration from the Chaotix and the Freedom Fighters. Sonic informed them that after Robotnik was taken away Tails appeared and called out the Hero.

Sonic explained with a hand around the shoulders of the fox and laughed about it actually. When it got to the point of Sally's true intentions he paused for a moment. He explained that Sally came between the combatants to stop the fighting - which was partially true. He stated to tell the rest later when he wasn't so tired, which he fully intended, but for now the strain of relaying such burdensome news after victory would be a letdown. Sonic opted to close the book and no one spurred him on after that.

King Elias was elated, to say the least.

The crown had set out to do what it had intended and secure freedom for the world. A work started years ago had finally come to a close; and this time with no return of the dictator. A celebration was initiated from then, and by nightfall all of Knothole had known about it. The center for peace and freedom went into party mode, celebrating the ensured freedom for themselves and all round the globe. Mobius was truly released from the chains.

"What are you talking about?" Nicole asked.

"It's okay Nicole," Sally eased her friend, "They know. We're shutting it down. All our planning for the freedom of Mobius."

Sonic, Tails, and King Elias were in Nicole's main station in a facility not far from Castle Acorn. While the city goes into partying business still remained. King Elias had been informed of the cliffhanger he was left with earlier. He was of course, saddened to hear such a plot from his sister but as king he knew he had to keep forward.

"I see."

"As the proprietors of peace we have to maintain that freedom, alongside it, comes a choice. In imposed 'freedom', we would be forcing a hand instead of letting things happen. As Freedom Fighters we fight to keep freedom from injustice, and we won't be needed until the next injustice appears. It's just the way things are."

"I'm deleting all the files as we speak." Nicole informed.

"Even the backups?" asked Sally.

"Yes, even the backups."

"Good!" Sonic sprang up. "Can I go back to sleep now?"

"We should continue in the morning." Elias stated. "You three should get some rest."

"Goodnight, your majesty." Sally hugged her brother. "I'd like a moment alone with Nicole if you don't mind."

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt." Elias rubbed his chin. "I'll just be outside if you need me."

Sally nodded as King Elias proceeded up the steps. Sally turned to Nicole and slumped a bit.

"It is over?" Nicole asked.

"It really is." Sally replied.

"What about our plan?"

"Abandon it. I'm serious this time."

"Commencing deletion then. Did we sacrifice too much in the end?"

"No not at all. I just didn't rely on the sources we had. Freedom is about the choices we make. Robotnik chose to take people's freedom while we set them free again. Any more than that is veering too close to the danger line."

"The EIA needed more testing, like I suggested then."

Sally nodded. "Precisely. The fact that I had virtually no Chaos Energy didn't shield me from the chaos echoing on inside me."

"And I refuted against you having all seven coursing through you. The dangers were too eminent for someone like you to bear."

"Neurological and Chaotic elements aside, I still think I was the best candidate. Putting anyone else in that position would be a lot more guilt than I feel right now."

"Also your brain activity and regular heartbeat mean you've nearly reverted back to normal. The patterns of Chaos are a hard thing to bear from someone who's never had it. I still think it tremendous you held out this long."

"When I used the abilities is when I slipped further and further, unknowingly of course. It feels odd to be without them now."

"It is for the best. The secrets we kept are in open air, and now we can begin anew, reborn so to say."

"And the first thing I'm going to do is be a better role model for my children and a better love for Sonic."

"Speaking of your offspring, they have just arrived at your house from Rosie's care."

Sally smiled. "Then I better get going."

"Better tomorrow's Princess."

"Same to you Nicole." Sally headed upstairs past her eavesdropping brother and out into the open where Sonic waited for her.

"Everything cool?" He asked rubbing his eyes.

She kissed him on the cheek which gave him a spark of energy.

"So not cool then?" Sonic smirked.

Sally patted him on the butt. "C'mon Sonic Hedgehog, let's go home." She hopped into his arms and spurred him on.

"Oh no! You're on punishment my lady! You think hyper-liberation is a crime payable with a slap on the wrist?"

"Or fanny?"

Sonic shook his head. "Looks like your hoofin' it back to the ol' crib."

Sally kissed him again.

"Maybe we can start the punishment tomorrow..." Sonic caved as he sped off toward their abode.

"I thought so..."

"But fa'real, you're getting the book thrown at you."

"No way!"

"Yup! It's a literal book! They're gonna chuck it right at ya!"

The couple crosses Knothole in little time. The partygoers were all through the streets with music and dancing and food. The curse of Robotnik was lifted and the unofficial party was happening. Many people urged for Sonic and Sally to buy them a drink or make their special dishes but all these wanted to do was see their kids. The beacons of hope, joy, and love for the bride and groom. They came within view of their house and Sonic moseyed down from the pleasure cruise they spent. Sally hopped out of Sonic's arms and ran to the porch where Rosie stood smiling.

"Mommy!" Manic and Sonia screamed.

"My babies." Sally gently stated while hugging them closely. Sonic eagerly snatched his kids from their mother and shook them with joy.

"What's up you guys? You know I missed you right?"

"Who did you miss the most?" Asked Sonia.

"It was me wasn't it?"

"Umm..."

"Thanks again Rosie. What happened to your arm?" Asked Sally.

The caretaker had taken on a nasty burn on her right arm.

"I'll tell you what happened." Rosie started in he sweet gentle voice. "That little pissant, tried to set me whole manor ablaze! I had to put it out with my favorite shawl! Burned my hand in the process but I'll get my comeuppance in the bill this month! Ta Ta!"

Rosie ambled away headed to the launch base to return to her manor in the forest. Sonic and Sally gave each other a look and then down to Manic who was all guilty.

"I didn't mean to." He stated innocently.

"Daddy, in his defense, the fire just came out of nowhere! Honest!"

"Yeah right..." Sonic rolled his eyes.

"It's true Sonic!" Manic sped in front of his dad and turned for the yard. "Look!"

Manic charged up a spin dash and blasted across the lawn kicking up trail of fire in his wake. Sonic was wide-eyed at the event as Sally stared at her son.

The traits of the EIA users had burrowed down to the genetic code. Children of the program will be blessed and cursed from the actions of their predecessors.

The two paused and looked at their son.

"Sal."

"Yeah?"

"I didn't have Fire Power, did I?"

"No."

"We'll then, this is your fault."

**And so it ends.**

**The tale of Sonic 51 draws to a close with the entire revolution revealed. Please rate, and review, it would mean so much to me. There will still be art posted on the site of deviants with art. (FF won't let me shout out sites.) Also there will be new music coming Dec 1****st**** so check the link in my profile if you're down with that. **

**Sonic 51 has been amazing to write, especially when all of the reviews and subscriptions pop up in my email. it really excites me to think that somewhere out there someone is reading this so i want to thank each one of my fans who have been consistent in reading this story and reviewing faithfully. **

**BIG SHOUT OUT TO WOLVMBM, DADDLERTHEDALEK, and SUPERSAIYANINFINITYGOHAN!**

**Im teetering if I want to do a Legend of Zelda FanFic so subscribe to me as an author and you will be alerted. **

**I just want to end on a good note and say that words are sharper than any two-edged sword so strike with precision. Until next time!**


End file.
